Counting Days
by bjont
Summary: When tragedy strikes Tokyo, the seventeen members of Seigaku and Hyoutei must join forces if they wish to survive. Some character death. Common pairings: TezuFuji, AtoJi, etc.
1. Beginnings

Hey. Well, here it is.. My epic fanfiction. Lengthwise, at least. You guys will have to let me know about content.

This will focus on Hyoutei and Seigaku, and the pairings that come with them.. (TezuFuji, GP, InuKai, slight MomoRyo, AtoJi, Dirty Pair, Silver Pair, etc.)

_Title: _Counting Days

_Author: _bjont

_Summary: _It's the normal days that often end up the strangest. When tragedy strikes Tokyo, the seventeen members of Seigaku and Hyoutei must join forces if they wish to survive. Character death.

_Rating: _ M (Yaoi, violence, etc. but nothing too awful.)

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"Doubles two, Inui-Kaidoh pair. Doubles one, Oishi-Kikumaru pair. Singles three, Echizen. Singles two, Fuji. Singles one, me." Tezuka Kunimitsu looked up from the clipboard in his hands, surveying his team with a stern gaze. "Remember, the fact that these are mock tournament matches should not weaken your guard. Let's proceed carefully. Hyoutei is strong." There was a collective nod from the team before Momoshiro raised his fist.

"Seigaku, fight!" he cried, his teammates eagerly joining in, their voices mingling in the crisp, autumn air.

--

"Mukahi, Oshitari. Do not let Ore-sama down." Hyoutei's original doubles pair nodded at their captain in unison before turning away to enter the court.

"Gakuto," Oshitari drawled, his dark eyes sweeping over the opposition, "Inui will remember your trouble with stamina. Those two will aim for a long match." A sly grin spread across Mukahi's face, and he shook a strand of cranberry-red hair from his eyes.

"Let's give it to them, then. Ne, Yuushi?" His bespectacled partner grinned back.

"Of course."

Across the net, Kaidoh hissed darkly.

"Inui-senpai, do you need time to collect data today?" he asked, eyeing the opposing pair with fierce determination.

"No, Kaidoh," Inui replied, flipping through his notebook. "What I have at the moment should be sufficient enough to allow me to play and analyze simultaneously."

"If you say so," Kaidoh agreed, and took a step toward the net, where Oshitari and Mukahi waited. Inui set his notebook down and followed.

"Inui and Kaidoh, is it?" Mukahi gave a little laugh before sticking his hand over the net. Kaidoh took it in a tight grip and lifted it slightly, before letting it drop with distaste. Gakuto laughed again. "Don't be bitter yet, Kaidoh. The game's hardly begun."

"Oshitari, I'm afraid the odds are against you," Inui stated, clasping the Kansai boy's hand in his lightly. Oshitari chuckled.

"Inui, I'm afraid I don't deal in numbers. Not on the tennis courts, at least," he replied.

"In any case, let's have a good game," Inui finished, releasing Oshitari's hand and stepping back.

"Yes," Oshitari agreed, "let's."

_"One set match. Inui-Kaidoh pair to serve."_

"Inui-senpai, don't use _that _right away," Kaidoh called over his shoulder from where he was hunched at the net. "They haven't earned it yet."

"Of course, Kaidoh," Inui replied, smiling slightly. He tossed the ball high, feeling his body coil naturally as it prepared to serve. This was perhaps his favorite aspect of the game; the beginning. He enjoyed the way he naturally responded to the ball, blasting into the serve as his weight transferred perfectly, naturally. His usual serve was fast; faster than most, but nothing compared to his Waterfall. Oshitari returned the ball with some difficulty, Inui noted. Kaidoh poached the return as a down-the-line volley, giving him time to retreat to the baseline. Neither he nor Inui were comfortable at the net, and with Kaidoh's snake and Inui's placement, they could easily win points from the back. "Kaidoh," Inui murmured as he drove a forehand cross-court, "hit Mukahi with the Snake when the appropriate shot comes. Leave Oshitari to me, he struggles with particularly strong shots."

"Yes, senpai," Kaidoh replied, slicing his backhand over to Gakuto, who returned it with a volley off a back-spring. The viper growled. "Acrobatics," he mumbled, "annoying." Inui chuckled and prepared to drop the ball at Oshitari's feet. The shot was well executed, but at the last moment, Gakuto dove across the court and returned the drop-ball while balanced on one hand. Kaidoh quickly picked up the return and hit it cross-court, to the wide gap left by Mukahi's jump. Oshitari had foreseen this, however, and was there in a flash, driving the ball down the center.

_"Love, fifteen!"_

"Not yet, hmm, Kaidoh?" Inui called from the baseline.

"Not yet, Inui-senpai," was the affirmative reply.

The next point went quickly, and the two teams continued to battle it out, each edging for the upper-hand. Forty minutes later, the score lay tied at 4 games all. Kaidoh rubbed a towel over his face, clearing the sweat-beads from his forehead.

"As I predicted, Mukahi has overcome his stamina problems," Inui said, setting his water bottle down and retrieving his racket. "Are you doing alright, Kaidoh?"

"Of course, senpai," Kaidoh growled. Inui smiled to himself. Kaidoh prided himself on his strength and stamina, just as Inui did, if not more. He would never admit fatigue.

"Kaidoh, I think it might be time to use _it._ Let's let the others play." Kaidoh looked up, and a slow smile crossed his full lips. He nodded silently and raised a fist toward Inui, who grinned in return and touched Kaidoh's knuckles with his own.

"Let's play, senpai."

--

_"Game, Seigaku, 7 games to 5!"_

"Damn it, Yuushi. That Boomerang Snake or whatever ought to be illegal. And what's with his stupid hissing? What, is he species-confused or something? Damn it! And what was with that data-geek's serve? And the way he muttered under his breath, too! What a creep!" Oshitari chuckled.

"It was a good game, Gakuto. We'll beat them next time."

"If there is a next time, Yuushi," Gakuto reminded his partner, who simply smiled.

"There will be a next time, Gakuto," he replied, before kneeling down to slip his racket into his bag. "Now," he pulled his jacket over his shoulders and rose to face the indignant acrobat, "let's go watch the next match." He started off toward the court, his long strides carrying him across the grass with ease. He hadn't gone far, however, when he realized that Mukahi was not following. He turned, and found his partner scrutinizing the sky. "Gakuto," he called, "come on."

"Yuushi," Mukahi replied, without looking down, "what is that?"

Oshitari lifted his dark eyes to the sky, following Gakuto's line of vision. Squinting slightly, he surveyed the horizon. Or, what should have been the horizon. A cloud of darkness had gathered above the hills, and as it neared, Oshitari could hear the slight whirring of blades and the roars and coughs of engines. Suddenly, there was a flash of light, and something erupted on the ground not more than fifty miles away, sending a thick grey cloud of dust and debris into the air. The army of airships, helicopters, and planes slowly faded into the dust as they approached the city. Seconds later, another explosion shook the ground, and Mukahi stumbled slightly as a dark cloud billowed over head, littered with debris.

"Gakuto," Oshitari's voice was trembling slightly. He opened his mouth to continue, when a ear-splitting roar sliced through the air. Gakuto could only watch as a mammoth airship appeared out of nowhere, casting a long, dark shadow over the grounds.

"Gakuto," Oshitari was screaming now, "get down!"

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**A/N**: (If anyone wants to tell me how to make those line breaks that people use, that'd be awesome. I don't know the HTML symbol for those.) Anyway.. This is really just getting started. Feel free to review and tell me what you think! Criticism is welcome, as are other sorts of comments.. Flames are unnecessary, though. :) Hope you enjoyed.


	2. Day 1

_"Gakuto," Oshitari was screaming now, "get down!" _

The tensai darted forward and grabbed the acrobat by the arm, sprinting across the grounds. Mukahi stumbled after him, his heart pounding against his chest. A long, shrieking whine filled the air, and Gakuto glanced over his shoulder in time to see something long and dark plummeting toward the ground. As it touched down, it was as if time froze. He could sense the terror around him, feel the danger, taste the death; yet he could not tear his eyes away from the bomb.

"Yuushi," he whispered, willing his mind to work, to let him turn around, to lay his eyes on his friend for what would most likely be the last time, but his efforts were in vain. He swore he heard the soft "click" as the bomb initiated, and then time restarted, and Oshitari was pulling him down, and the noise was unbearable. He felt his head touch water and instinctively held his breath as he was completely submerged. He felt Yuushi pulling him down to the bottom and wrapping his strong arms around him, keeping him down. His lungs were screaming for air, and when something plummeted into the water mere feet away from them, he felt his mouth open in surprise, and was immediately flooded with water.

Realizing that if he did not get air now he would drown, Gakuto began struggling fiercely against Oshitari's vice-like grip, his eyes wide in desperation, begging Yuushi to let go. Oshitari seemed to understand, for he grabbed Mukahi by the hand again and pulled him toward the surface. As soon as he felt his skin touch air, Gakuto was breathing in, choking and coughing the water out of his system. Oshitari was surrounding him, covering the acrobat's body with his own. He, too, was sucking in air, and Mukahi could feel his ragged breath against his neck. Everywhere, people were screaming, and less than three feet away, Gakuto could see someone lying face down, the concrete around them dyed a gruesome red. Something in his chest tightened, and he pressed back against Oshitari, wanting nothing but to return to the water, to see nothing but the blurred face of his doubles partner, to hear nothing but the muffled explosions. Yuushi seemed to understand this, and with one last, deep breath, he pulled Mukahi back down, and the water enveloped them once again. The clouded silence, however, was no longer comforting, for all Gakuto could think of was the body, and his teammates, and how many of them looked like that... He pressed his face against Oshitari's chest to keep his mouth closed, for fear that the wracking sobs threatening his body would rip open his mouth, and force him and Yuushi back to the surface, back to reality; back to hell.

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Oshitari didn't know how long they had been underwater. His body had long surpassed its need for air, and he hardly felt alive. Gakuto was trembling in his arms, but he seemed determined to stay under. Gently tugging at his friend's sleeve, he motioned to the surface and began to kick. Gakuto followed.

"Gakuto, are you alright?" Oshitari panted, pushing his hair out of his eyes. Mukahi stared at him, his eyes dull.

"Yuushi," he whispered. "Yuushi, what happened?" Oshitari lifted himself out of the pool and offered his hands to Gakuto, who refused them and pulled himself up onto the ledge.

"I don't know, Gakuto."

"Everyone else?" Gakuto questioned, staring blankly ahead.

"I don't know, Gakuto."

"Yuushi.." The acrobat turned his gaze to his partner; his partner who usually had all the answers, and now seemed to have none. Oshitari simply nodded, before turning his face away. He could feel tears welling up, and he didn't want Gakuto to have to deal with him crying on top of everything else.

"I don't know... Gakuto." The acrobat reached up and turned Oshitari so that he faced him. He could see the tensai's eyes glistening with unshed tears, and on impulse, reached forward to wrap his arms around him.

"Mukahi, Oshitari. You survived." The pair looked up to see Tezuka Kunimitsu standing before them. A long cut ran down the side of his face, and his glasses were cracked and barely managed to rest on his nose. "Have you seen anyone else?" Anxiety ran deep in the captain's voice, and as he spoke, his eyes constantly scanned the landscape, searching for any signs of life.

"No," Oshitari replied, his voice cracked and weary. "No one. Tezuka.. What was that?"

"A bomb," Tezuka replied, his gaze finally falling on the pair. "Can you two walk?" Gakuto immediately nodded, and Oshitari rose. "Let's continue looking for survivors." Tezuka's voice was suddenly tight, and Oshitari followed his gaze to a torn, bloody, and abandoned Seigaku jacket lying on the blackened grass. He grabbed Gakuto by the arm and gently led him after Tezuka, ready to protect the acrobat from any particularly gruesome sight. They checked a series of buildings, each empty, most completely destroyed.

"Tezuka," Oshitari said quietly, when the three stopped to rest. "Where did you hide?" The captain shook his head slightly.

"I was lucky. I was looking for someone, and everything just missed me."

"Who were you looking for?" Gakuto asked, unable to resist.

Tezuka was silent for a moment, before replying softly, "A friend."

Oshitari was about to speak when a murmur of voices stopped him. Tezuka had obviously heard it too, as he rose and spoke in his low, commanding voice, "Who's there?" There was a slight rustle of bushes before another trio appeared. Oishi and Hiyoshi appeared, each with a supporting arm around Kikumaru, who appeared unconscious.

"It's us, Tezuka," Oishi said through gritted teeth. He and Hiyoshi carefully laid Eiji down on the grass, and Oishi immediately settled beside him and pulled the acrobat's head onto his lap. Hiyoshi went to stand beside Oshitari and Gakuto, who welcomed him with solemn nods.

"What happened to Kikumaru?" Tezuka asked quietly, going to kneel across from Oishi.

"I couldn't.. He.." Oishi took a deep breath before continuing. "We were running for shelter when a tree branch broke above us. He pushed me out of the way, but I couldn't grab him in time. The branch hit him and knocked him unconscious."

"How serious is the wound?" Tezuka carefully parted Eiji's hair, searching for broken skin. Oishi gently turned him over and showed Tezuka the cut. The gash was long, but not too deep.

"It bled a lot, but I've heard that scalp wounds tend to bleed profusely, despite being shallow," Oishi said, and Tezuka did not miss the hopefulness in his voice.

"Yes, I've heard that as well," he agreed, and proceeded to strip of his jacket, and then shirt. Slipping his jacket back on, he tore a long strip of cloth from his shirt and wrapped it around Kikumaru's head, tying it in a secure knot to stop the bleeding. Oishi gave him a grateful smile, and Tezuka nodded before turning to address the group.

"We need to find a secure place to set up camp," he began. "One of you three," he gestured to Hiyoshi, Oshitari, and Mukahi, "will accompany me in further exploration, since you know the grounds well. The rest will rest here, keeping an active eye out for any other survivors. Agreed?" There was a consensual murmur among the group, and Hiyoshi rose.

"I'll go with you," he announced, glancing around at Oshitari and Gakuto, as if for permission. They both nodded their agreement.

"It's decided, then. Come, Hiyoshi." Tezuka nodded slightly at Oishi, Mukahi, and Oshitari. "Take good care of Kikumaru," he said, and the two started off.

"Good luck," Oishi called. Hiyoshi turned around and gave the three a weak smile, before turning back and disappearing into the trees behind Tezuka.

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Sorry if some of the paragraphs were a little long, they were getting difficult to split.. Thanks to those who reviewed last time, much appreciated. (Sorry about the rating type-o in Chapter 1. It's supposed to be T, T+ -ish.)


	3. Day 2

Okay, chapter three.. I hope you guys are enjoying it, not many have reviewed but I don't want to nag, I understand your laziness.. But I'd still appreciate a comment. Well, here you are.. Expect updates once, maybe twice a week.. It all depends on school. Bleh.

* * *

"Atobe, hey, Atobe!" The captain of Hyoutei's tennis team stirred as a vaguely familiar voice pierced through his unconsciousness, bringing him to. Opening his eyes slightly, he came face to face with Momoshiro, of Seigaku.

"What's.. What's going on?" Atobe asked, sitting up. He clutched his stomach as a burst of pain shot through his upper body, and the purple-eyed boy beside him winced. Atobe carefully surveyed his surroundings, and it all came rushing back to him as his eyes focused on the smoldering remains of his school. "The attack," he whispered, his gaze falling upon a lone body, lying not too far away from him, and Momo nodded. "Where is everyone else?" An empty silence followed his question, and Atobe closed his eyes, falling back to the ground.

"Hey, hey, Atobe, are you okay?" The grey-haired boy nodded, when suddenly, something clicked in his mind and he sat up suddenly, ignoring the pain shooting through his body. Pulling himself onto all fours, he began crawling toward the limp figure he'd seen before.

"Jiroh," he whispered, coming to a stop beside the boy. "Jiroh, please be sleeping," Atobe murmured, reaching out a hesitant hand. He carefully pressed two fingers to the boy's neck, and sighed in relief when a faint pulse pushed against his touch. He pulled Jiroh into his lap and gently shook his shoulders. He stirred slightly, but otherwise did not respond. By this time, Momo had come to stand beside the pair on the ground.

"I didn't.. You know, I thought.. I mean, it was obvious that you.." Atobe nodded in understanding and continued his attempts to revive the volley-specialist. Momoshiro settled down beside him. "Do you think we should try to look for other survivors, or just stay here?" he asked.

"Stay, at least until Jiroh comes to, and is strong enough to move. Maybe someone else will find us."

"Hey, Atobe.. Do you think, you know.. Do you think they're out there?"

"Please specify 'they're,'" Atobe snapped.

"Whoever dropped the bombs, I mean," Momo continued. Atobe fell silent.

"I don't know," he finally replied. Suddenly, Jiroh shifted in his arms, and his eyes fluttered open.

"A..Atobe?" he croaked.

"Jiroh, are you alright? What happened?"

"I.. Don't know.. One minute, everything's exploding, and the next, I'm here." He shifted slightly, and winced. "And moving hurts. What's going on, Atobe?"

"I don't know, Jiroh, Momoshiro brought me round not too long ago. I don't remember much more than you do."

"Momo?" The three looked up at the new voice. Kawamura stood behind them, blood trickling down his face from a gash on his forehead. His jacket was gone, and his arms were covered in light and deep cuts.

"Taka-san!" Momo exclaimed, leaping up. "You survived!" He bounded over to his teammate and threw his arms around him. Taka winced slightly, but returned the hug wholeheartedly. Suddenly, Momo drew back. "Have you seen anyone else, Taka-san?" The kind-hearted senior shook his head.

"No, no one.. I guess that's both good and bad, right, Momo? Who's that with you? Atobe-san and Jiroh-san?" Momo nodded in answer to both questions, though he felt a growing uneasiness stirring in his stomach. How many of his teammates had survived?

--

"Kaidoh, are you alright?" Inui sat up, glancing in dismay at his shattered glasses before tossing them aside and leaning over his doubles partner. He could hardly make out his friend's form, so he leaned forward to check his pulse when he heard the viper cough lightly.

"Inui-senpai.. What happened?" Kaidoh sat up, rubbing the sore spot on the back of his head.

"We were hit by a bomb dropped by that airship. Judging by the damage caused, I'd say it was.."

"I don't care, Inui-senpai," Kaidoh growled. "Who the hell goes dropping bombs on Tokyo?"

"I cannot answer that question, Kaidoh," Inui replied, gazing around. "I wonder how many of the others survived." Something in Kaidoh snapped, and he sat directly upright. The thought of his teammates, of anyone, dying.. He began shaking his head, clearing the images that had begun to gather. Inui, seeing he'd hit a sensitive spot, moved forward and gently stroked the viper's back. Kaidoh dropped his head onto Inui's shoulders, his mind racing. "It'll be alright, Kaidoh. I'm sure, if we survived, the others did, too. There's a good chance." Kaidoh nodded into his shoulder, before drawing back slightly. His face was flushed, and when he met Inui's gaze, he quickly looked away. Inui smiled softly, and drew Kaidoh close again. "You know, Kaidoh, I can hardly even see you without my glasses. We should probably look for survivors, but I would burden you. I understand if you want to leave me here. I can fend for myself." Kaidoh was still for a moment, before he pressed his face deeper into Inui's chest.

"Never, senpai. I'll never leave you behind." His words were muffled, but to Inui, nothing had ever seemed clearer.

--

Tezuka stepped into the clearing, his chest tight with anticipation. Hiyoshi followed close behind. The voices they had heard as they approached had clearly belonged to Momoshiro and Kawamura, there was no doubt about it. Tezuka quickly scanned the area, and felt himself give a small smile as his eyes settled on the small group staring back at him, their eyes wide.

"Te..Tezuka-buchou!" Momo exclaimed. "And Hiyoshi? You two survived?" Tezuka nodded.

"Ah. Oishi, Kikumaru, Mukahi, and Oshitari are in another area not too far from here. We'll lead you all back to them, it's best if we stay grouped together." He nodded his acknowledgment to Atobe, Jiroh, and Kawamura. "Can everyone here walk?" Atobe shook his head.

"No, not Jiroh, but I can carry him on my back." Tezuka nodded again and motioned for everyone to follow him and Hiyoshi. The small group quickly made their way back to the others, who greeted each other with relief. Eiji was still unconscious, but when Oishi heard of Jiroh's recovery, he brightened considerably. Once everyone was settled, Tezuka and Hiyoshi set off again, this time joined by Atobe, who said he knew of a storage building set a ways off campus that might have survived the attack.

The three walked in silence for some time, until Atobe spoke in a low voice.

"Those that we haven't found.. Do you think they survived?" Tezuka grimaced.

"I'm sure there are others that have either found shelter, or are still out on the grounds, unconscious, unable to move, or in areas we haven't searched yet."

"Who is still missing?" Hiyoshi asked quietly.

"Shishido, Ootori, and Kabaji, from Hyoutei," Atobe replied.

"Inui, Kaidoh, Fuji, and.."

"Echizen Ryoma!" Hiyoshi pointed to a young boy leaning against a tree. Tezuka started forward, going to kneel beside his youngest player.

"Echizen, are you alright?" The freshman was obviously conscious, as he stared at Tezuka in surprise.

"Ah, buchou. You survived. Hiyoshi and Monkey King, too?" he asked, gazing past Tezuka to survey his companions, smirking slightly at Atobe's irked expression. "My leg," he continued, gesturing to his left. His left pant leg was soaked with blood, and through a large rip, Tezuka could see a deep gash, close to the bone.

"Hiyoshi," Tezuka began, "I want you to carry Echizen back to the temporary gathering place. Have someone wrap his leg there. We'll tend to it properly once we've set up a permanent base. Atobe and I will continue on to the warehouse." Hiyoshi nodded and stepped forward. Atobe and Tezuka pulled Echizen up by his arms and lifted him onto Hiyoshi's back, and the two set off back the way the trio had come.

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Reviews would be nice.. Hope you enjoyed!


	4. Day 3

Thanks for all the reviews, feedback is what helps authors improve! Not much to say.. Err.. Enjoy?

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_"Hiyoshi," Tezuka began, "I want you to carry Echizen back to the temporary gathering place. Have someone wrap his leg there. We'll tend to it properly once we've set up a permanent base. Atobe and I will continue on to the warehouse." Hiyoshi nodded and stepped forward. Atobe and Tezuka pulled Echizen up by his arms and lifted him onto Hiyoshi's back, and the two set off back the way the trio had come. _

--

"Senpai, I think I hear voices coming from over there." Choutarou rose and limped over to the closest tree, which he used for support as he leaned forward to investigate. Shishido looked up from where he had been ripping his shirt into shreds to bandage Ootori's leg.

"Choutarou, you shouldn't be standing on that leg," he reprimanded.

"Yes, Shishido-senpai, but I'm sure I heard voices," Ootori replied. "Let's go see, someone might be badly hurt." He turned to gaze at his doubles partner, his chocolate eyes brimming with worry. "If we don't find them close by, we can give up and I won't move again." Shishido frowned, ready to protest again, when Choutarou shot him a hopeful smile.

"Alright, we'll go see, but I am the one to define 'close by,' and you better stick to your word," Shishido grumbled. His doubles partner was far too.. He wouldn't dare say _cute.. _Far too.. _Choutarou-ish_ to resist.

"Of course, senpai," Ootori replied, already beginning to limp away, toward the voices.

"Hey, hey, wait! You can't walk on that leg!" Shishido quickly caught up, and put a supporting arm around Choutarou's waist, helping him keep the weight off of his right leg. The pair had barely walked twenty feet when they came across the source of the voices - Inui and Kaidoh were leaning against each other, talking softly.

"Inui-san, Kaidoh-kun?" The two looked up at the voice, eyes wide.

"Ootori and Shishido of Hyoutei," Inui said, both in question and in greeting. "You two survived?"

"Obviously," Shishido replied, leading Choutarou over to where Inui and Kaidoh sat and settling him down. "How long have you two been here?"

"A while, I suppose, but I'm not sure how long we were unconscious for."

"Ah. Have you seen anyone else?" Ootori questioned.

"No one," Kaidoh growled.

"Neither have we," Ootori replied, sighing. "I hope everyone's alright."

"Can the two of you walk?" Shishido asked, eyeing Inui and Kaidoh with interest.

"I can't say I've tried," Inui admitted. Kaidoh shrugged before slowly rising. He took a few shaky steps before nodding. Inui followed suit, and soon, both were standing comfortably.

"Good. Now, we can take turns carrying Choutarou while we look for the others," Shishido ordered.

"I'm sorry to be such a trouble, Shishido-senpai, Inui-san, Kaidoh-kun," Ootori apologized, gazing at his leg in dismay.

"It's alright, Choutarou, it's not your fault," Shishido said, his voice softening. "Come on, I'll carry you first." Inui and Kaidoh pulled Ootori to his feet, and Shishido carefully lifted him onto his back.

"Okay," Inui started, surveying the land around them, "let's start that way."

--

"This is it," Atobe said, stopping in front of a well-sized building. The right side was slightly charred, and several of the windows were shattered, but other than that, it was in good condition. Tezuka pushed open the door and stepped into an open room, piled high with all sorts of supplies. "Most of the school's reserve supplies are stored here," Atobe informed him. "There should be a decent amount of food, water, bedding... Whatever you think we'll need is probably here." Tezuka nodded.

"This is excellent, Atobe. Thank you for recommending the area." He turned, expecting Atobe to make a comment about his general prowess, but instead, found his companion sheet white.

"My family.. I hadn't even thought of them until right now.. We're not particularly close, but.. There's no way to find out if they're alright, is there?" It was hardly a question. Tezuka remained silent for a moment, before answering anyway.

"I hadn't thought of my family, either. However, there's nothing we can do to help them now." Atobe nodded. "Let's go get the others," Tezuka finished, and started back toward the door. Atobe stood still for a moment, before his senses kicked in, and he followed.

--

"Do you think everyone else is alright? I mean, Fuji, Inui, Kaidoh, Shishido, Ootori, and Kabaji are all still out there somewhere, if.. They're.." Oishi trailed off, gazing around at his companions. Oshitari sat close to Gakuto, Hiyoshi had just finished wrapping Echizen's leg and was now gazing at Oishi intently. Kawamura was sitting next to him, and Jiroh sat beside Momo, more alert than Oishi had ever seen him. His eyes were trained on the grounds, searching for any sign of Atobe and Tezuka.

"I'm sure Fujiko and the others are okay," Taka assured Oishi, who was raking his hands through Eiji's hair, carefully separating the strands glued together by the acrobat's blood. "And I'm sure our families made it through, too." Oishi's eyes widened.

"I hadn't even thought of them," he exclaimed. There was a fervid exchanging of glances amongst the group as the thought surfaced in their minds.

"Well, I mean, there's no point wasting our energy worrying, right? There's nothing we can do right now," Momo offered hopefully.

"My sentiments exactly, Momoshiro." Tezuka stepped into the clearing, followed closely by Atobe.

"Buchou! Atobe!"

"Tezuka!"

The group eagerly circled around the returning pair, begging for information about their possible shelter. Tezuka and Atobe quickly explained the situation.

"We will move in the largest groups possible, in order to prevent numerous trips. However, it is my opinion that some of us should stay in the area, just in case more survivors wander in here. We're still missing-"

"Inui? Kaidoh?" Oishi cried, gently removing Eiji's head from his lap before standing up to greet his teammates. "And Shishido and Ootori, too! You all made it? Are there any more with you?" He glanced eagerly behind the group, but Inui shook his head.

"No, it's just us. Who else is here?" Inui asked, surveying the group. "I can hardly make out faces."

"Don't worry, Inui," Atobe's voice floated out from amongst the many blurs. "We have spare pairs of glasses in the warehouse."

"Warehouse?" Ootori asked as Shishido gently set him down beside Jiroh.

"Yes, Atobe suggested a storage building on the outskirts of campus as a good place to take refuge until we can uncover the reason behind this attack," Tezuka explained. "We are about to move everyone over to the building."

"Who else is here?" Inui repeated. "Tezuka, Ootori, Shishido, Kaidoh, Atobe, and Oishi's presences I am aware of. But who else?"

"Oshitari, Gakuto, Hiyoshi, Momoshiro, Jiroh, Kikumaru, Kawamura, and Echizen are all here as well," Tezuka replied.

"Ah.. So only two are missing, then?" Inui deducted.

"Yes. Kabaji and Fuji," Tezuka agreed. A long silence followed.

"Do you think," Kawamura began, but Tezuka quickly cut him off.

"Of course. Now, let's get moving. I think we can move in one large group now, provided everyone is careful and we keep a constant head-count. Atobe, if you would please lead the group yourself, I'd like to remain behind to search for F-..." he paused slightly, before shaking his head and continuing, "for survivors." Atobe eyed him curiously for a moment before nodding.

"Let's go, everyone."

--

The trip to the storage building was fairly uneventful. Those who could not walk were carried, while Tezuka and Momoshiro stayed behind to await what would have to be the miraculous arrival of Fuji and Kabaji. Momo could tell that Tezuka was on edge, for his eyes snapped up at the slightest rustle, and he paced restlessly, sometimes alerted by his own footsteps.

"Tezuka-buchou," Momo started carefully. Tezuka nodded for him to continue. "Do you think we should check the tennis courts? I mean, I know that's incredibly close to where the bomb hit, but you never know. Really, you never know." Tezuka was silent for a moment, before nodding his consent.

"It's a good idea, Momoshiro. Let's go."

The two set off toward the courts, their eyes respectfully skimming the faces of the few dead bodies for familiar features. They saw none, however, until they reached the tennis court gates. Tezuka noticed him right away, and hurried toward the body, his chest tightening as he went. Momo quickly followed him, catching sight of the figure moments after Tezuka had. The two knelt down beside the body, silent. It was a good minute before Momo spoke.

"Kabaji," he whispered. Tezuka remained quiet. Another silence settled over the pair before Momo spoke again. "Tezuka-buchou," he murmured, "there's someone under him." He pointed to a pale, slender hand protruding from Kabaji's lifeless body. Tezuka's heart jumped straight into his throat. Rising to his knees, he motioned for Momo to help him lift the body. The two carefully placed Kabaji on the ground, face up, so that his glazed eyes gazed peacefully at the sky. Closing his eyes in a brief prayer, Tezuka removed his jacket and gently covered Kabaji's head.

Shivering slightly at the feel of the autumn air against his bare skin, (he'd given his shirt to Oishi to bandage Kikumaru's wound) he turned back to the figure which, until moments ago, had been concealed by Kabaji. Momo mumbled a soft message to the gods before joining his captain. Sighing softly, he let his gaze fall to the body at his feet, mentally preparing another prayer for a departed, unnamed dead. As his eyes focused, however, his mouth dropped open. Before he could speak, Tezuka was kneeling beside the boy, measuring his pulse and checking his head and chest for wounds. Momoshiro knelt next to him, the shock beginning to wear off as he watched Tezuka remove the slightly bloody Regular's jacket from the thin frame and tear a sleeve off to stop a deep cut on a pale arm from bleeding. Tezuka leaned forward one last time to check his pulse before sitting back on his heels. He glanced at Momo, who looked utterly shocked.

"Kabaji," he explained, "must have been protecting him."

Momo shook his head lightly.

"I know, it's just that, of all people, I never thought Fuji-senpai would be the one closest to the courts."

* * *

Muaha.. Cliffhangers are much more enjoyable when you're not the reader. Have no fear, I'll update soon.. Hopefully. Reviews would be nice!


	5. Day 4

Thanks for all the reviews, much appreciated.. I would love it if you would keep 'em coming!

* * *

Tezuka leaned forward and brushed a blood-soaked strand of hair from Fuji's face.

"We need to get him to the warehouse," Tezuka announced. "He's alive, but barely." He carefully lifted the figure into his arms and brought him close. Momo watched in silence, a mixture of relief and fear for his senpai's life coursing through his body. Tezuka carefully maneuvered Fuji onto his back before setting off, motioning for Momo to follow.

--

The walk was quick; quicker than Momo had expected, and they soon found themselves outside of the storage building. Momo pushed open the door held it for Tezuka, who strode in, holding Fuji tightly to his back as though his teammates might suddenly rip the tensai away from him. Inside, people were working on setting up beds and arranging food and supplies. Tezuka carefully set Fuji down so that he slumped against a crate of rice bags before standing in front of him, almost like a shield. The buchou cast a sideways glance at Momo, who stared back. Neither knew how exactly to inform the others of their loss, and neither wanted to be the one to wing it. Finally, they simultaneously cleared their throats, quickly gaining the attention of the entire group. Before they could speak, however, Kawamura caught sight of the unconscious Fuji hidden behind Tezuka. Jumping up, he cried the tensai's name in surprise and delight. Immediately, everyone was gathering around, asking questions, gazing in horror at the wounds scarring Fuji's features.

"We found Fuji, and yes, he needs medical attention, but there is something we need to disclose." Tezuka felt that the interruption was necessary. Kabaji was dead. That needed to be recognized and dealt with before any further action could, and would, take place.

The group looked up at him with curious eyes. Momoshiro came to stand next to his captain. Tezuka shot him a quick glance, and he gave the buchou a sharp nod.

"When we found Fuji-senpai," Momo started, "we also found Kabaji-san." Atobe rose quickly.

"Where is he?" Atobe demanded, his voice breaking slightly.

"He's dead," Tezuka replied bluntly, staring straight into Atobe's fierce gray eyes. The captain of Hyoutei gazed back, expression suddenly blank. There was a collective gasp among the rest of the group, and Tezuka and Momo felt eyes turn to and away from them in disbelief. Atobe remained silent.

"We're really sorry, we know it's a--"

"Where is he?" Atobe interrupted Momo. His tone, which, since the accident, had lost its confident edge, was suddenly just as cold and haughty as ever.

"Over by the courts," Tezuka replied.

"Ore-sama is going to him." Momoshiro stepped forward and began offering to lead him there when Atobe continued. "Ore-sama does not need a guide, he knows his school well."

Silence filled the warehouse as Atobe pulled the door open.

"Atobe.. Can I come with you?" Jiroh's voice was tentative, as if he expected his captain to suddenly lash out at him. Atobe gave his teammate a swift nod, and Jiroh rose to join him. Hiyoshi followed silently, and Oshitari stood with Mukahi. Ootori looked vaguely helpless as Shishido got to his knees. To his surprise, however, his senpai extended a dirty hand to him, nodding in silence. Choutarou took it gratefully, pulling himself to his feet. Shishido lifted him onto his back and carried him to where the rest of their team stood behind Atobe. They proceeded out the door in grave silence, leaving Seigaku staring after them in understanding.

Oishi bowed his head in prayer, and the rest of the team followed suit. It was a long while before anyone dared a word.

"Fuji-senpai, is he... Alright?" Kaidoh's low voice broke the silence. Tezuka turned to face his friend. The blood was beginning to cake on his face, masking the gashes. As seven pairs of eyes settled on the tensai, he coughed lightly, sending a trickle of dark blood down his chin. Tezuka watched from what felt like miles away as Oishi reached forward to wipe the liquid away before lifting his fingers, gazing at their reddened tips. His eyes filled with tears as he turned to Eiji, who lay peacefully nestled in a thick woolen blanket.

"What's going to happen," he whispered, "to us?"

--

Hyoutei gazed down at Kabaji's body in silence. Atobe had removed the jacket covering his head and was kneeling next to his lifetime friend, his head bowed. He had not spoken a single word since leaving the warehouse. Oshitari stood behind Atobe, unmoving. The rest were gathered in a small group behind them, stunned into silence. That someone who had always been **there**, who had a future, who had a name, was suddenly only _there_, in front of them, but nothing else, was impossible. Many of the Hyoutei Regulars had faced death before, in saying goodbye to a grandparent or distant relative. None had seen death so close up and unforgiving, touching youth.

Atobe stared down at Kabaji's still face, his mind completely still. Memories refused to run through his mind, reminding him of all the times he had spent next to the Kabaji who had been so mutely alive. The best his body could summon in grief was a frozen wall of saltwater behind his eyes. Squeezing his eyes shut, he willed himself to cry, to mourn, to throw himself down in despair and weep for the loss of his friend. He let his conscious melt away, and felt himself rise. He hardly realized what he was doing when his foot connected with Kabaji's side, pushing the body away.

"Why?" he heard himself scream. His teammates heads snapped up, gazing at him in disbelief. "You bastard, Kabaji, you fucking bastard!" The tears were flowing freely down his cheeks as he hurled insults at the body at his feet. Oshitari reached up and grabbed Atobe by the shoulders, pulling the captain back. Atobe thrashed against him, his screams echoing across the rubble. Sensing Oshitari's purpose, the rest of the team moved forward, covering Kabaji with their jackets. Hiyoshi and Shishido fetched a few large blocks of cement which they used to cover the body, protecting it from scavenging animals. As the sun began to dye the sky a bloody red, the small, disheveled group bowed their heads in prayer, though none could keep their minds from asking,

_'Who's next?' _

* * *

Bleh. I'm not too happy with the ending of this one. Hope you found some part of it to enjoy! Reviews are welcome, of course! .


	6. Day 5

Fairly quick update.. This chapter is basically a tribute to angsty fluff. -shrug- You'll have to tell me what you think of it. . Thanks for all the reviews for the last chapter!

* * *

Kaidoh tucked his legs against his chest and wrapped his arms around his knees. Thoughts of his family clogged his mind, and no matter what he did, all he could see was his family as the airship descended over Tokyo, shadowing everything in its path...

He shook his head violently. Pressing his face into his hands, he trembled slightly as he willed the images away, begging for his family's safety. For everyone's safety. He hardly noticed the strong arm wrapping around his shoulder, or the warm fingers peeling his hands away from his face. It was only when a low voice mumbled his name that he looked up into Inui's face.

"Inui-senpai," he croaked, feeling the arm pull him close.

"Kaidoh," Inui whispered. The glasses he now wore were smaller, showing more of his eyes, which were shut tight. There was a faint glisten at each corner, and Kaidoh watched in dismay as tears began slipping down his senpai's cheeks. "I'm sorry. You don't need this." The viper remained silent and unmoving. He was at a loss as to what to say, to do. His mind was racing, flashing between images of his petrified family and his broken friend. He was about to act when Inui pulled back, pushing at his glasses to wipe away the tears.

"Are you," Kaidoh started, but Inui nodded, breaking him off.

"Your family, Kaidoh. There is a 89 percent chance that your family survived, based on the placement of the house and the fact that they were most likely together." His voice shook slightly, but he was trying, and Kaidoh felt himself warm. On impulse, he reached out and wrapped his arms around Inui. The latter hesitated slightly before snaking his arms around Kaidoh and pulling him tight against his chest.

"Thank you, senpai," Kaidoh mumbled into Inui's shoulder, "for being here."

--

Oishi wondered if Eiji was thinking beneath that mask.

He had decided it was a mask long ago. Kikumaru Eiji did not lie, still and unmoving, for more than five minutes, even during sleep. So, Oishi decided, he was pretending. He wanted to know what Oishi thought of him being quiet and still and locked away.

Oishi hated it. He wanted Eiji, the Eiji that smiled, and accepted defeat with another challenge. The Eiji that found the bright side before he even noticed the darkness. The Eiji that was alive.

He brought the blankets closer to the acrobat's chin and lay down beside him. Night was falling, and Hyoutei had returned less than an hour ago. Atobe had not spoken a word since returning, although he had heard Shishido and Ootori discussing his screaming fit in low voices. He understood Atobe's anger. He felt betrayed. Kabaji had failed him in the way Eiji was starting to let him down. Kabaji wouldn't be there for Atobe the way Eiji was refusing to answer Oishi's calls. It was a selfish need, an unreasonable anger, but one that was impossible to ignore.

"Eiji," he breathed, "please don't fail me."

Kikumaru remained silent.

--

Echizen ran his thumb over the strips of cloth covering his wound, his golden eyes staring listlessly through the small window in the thick, gray wall of the warehouse. He wasn't really wondering about what lay outside. He wasn't really thinking at all. He stared because it was something to do in a situation in which he felt completely at a loss. You couldn't overcome death and hidden enemies with powerful tennis shots. You could only overcome yourself, and the person across the net. But it was powerful tennis shots that Echizen knew best.

"Thinking about nothing, Echizen?" The voice startled him.

"Momo-senpai."

"Well?"

"I'm not... Yeah. Nothing." He sighed and reached up to pull the brim of his cap down, only to remember it was gone.

"I can't concentrate on something, either. It's like there's so much to think about, my mind can't choose one thing. Just can't choose," Momo replied. He was silent for a moment, before asking, "Echizen, are you scared?" Ryoma looked up at him, eyes filled with an emotion that was masked with confusion.

"I think so," he answered slowly. "But, I'm not sure. I don't really get scared, Momo-senpai." Momo mustered what he hoped resembled a smile and ruffled the boy's hair.

"It's good to get scared once in a while, Echizen. As long as you have people to help you overcome your fears." Ryoma met his gaze once again, his golden eyes clouded.

"Are you going to help me, Momo-senpai?" His voice was sincere, and he stared at the violet-eyed boy with an intensity he usually reserved for the tennis court. Momoshiro smiled again.

"Of course, Echizen. Of course!"

--

Tezuka wasn't angry with Fuji. He didn't understand the way Oishi and Atobe could feel resentment toward the ones that wouldn't answer.

They didn't answer because they couldn't, and they couldn't because they hadn't been there to protect them.

Tezuka wasn't angry with Fuji. He was too busy being angry with himself.

The tensai's injuries weren't too severe. Kabaji's body had protected him from the harshest of the blows, leaving him to sustain hundreds of minor cuts and several larger gashes, but from what Tezuka could tell, nothing worse than a few broken ribs. There was no sign of internal bleeding, and Tezuka could only hope that Fuji would awaken with all his memories. He wasn't sure if he could still be the Tezuka Kunimitsu to Fuji that he should be if the tensai didn't know him. He almost wished that Fuji would suffer amnesia, simply because he longed to wrap his arms around him and hold him close; to protect him from anything that stepped his way, to love and perhaps be loved.

But that wasn't the Tezuka that Fuji needed. Fuji needed the Tezuka that would be strong, that would always have his wits about him, that would know when to act and when to stand down. He didn't need a leech; someone to drain away his energy to fuel themselves.

"Fuji," he murmured. "I'll wait for you."

--

Kawamura smiled softly and turned away from where he had been watching Tezuka gently clean Fuji's wounds. Making his way up a thin, steel staircase, he clambered onto the narrow deck that was the second floor of the warehouse and settled down by a window. Resting his head in his hands, he closed his eyes and let his mind wander back to his parents at the sushi shop. His father, although sometimes abrasive, was truly devoted to his son and Kawamura knew that every push his father gave him was in the right direction. His mother, a quiet, gently woman, was always there to reassure him when things were rough.

Taka-san massaged his temples and slumped lower.

"Please be alright," he mumbled.

"Who are you talking to?" a voice replied. Kawamura sat up with a jolt, coming face to face with Hiyoshi, who gazed back at him, face rather blank.

"Err, no one," Kawamura admitted. "Well, myself, I suppose," he added, as if on second thought. Hiyoshi raised an eyebrow. "Is Atobe and everyone alright?" Taka asked hesitantly. Hiyoshi simply shrugged, and sat down next to Kawamura.

"As okay as they can be. Kabaji was.. I guess I sort of took him for granted." Taka nodded in understanding. A thoughtful silence settled over the pair, and Hiyoshi took the opportunity to glance over at his companion. A long, red cut marred Taka's forehead, and patches of dried blood coated his shirt. His hair was mussed, and several twigs and leaves protruded from the thick brown locks. Hiyoshi reached up and plucked one out, measuring it with his fingers before beginning to peel the bark off. Kawamura looked at him rather strangely, so he spoke. "I'm up here because I can't help them," Hiyoshi mumbled. "They don't need my help. All of them have someone else; I'm an extra."

"I can't help but feel the same way," Taka admitted, "although it makes me feel guilty. I hate to want them to need me. As long as they're happy, it should be okay."

"But sometimes it's just not," Hiyoshi finished. Kawamura nodded and pulled at a loose string on his pants. Another silence blanketed the two, but neither felt compelled to fill it. For the moment, both had found someone to talk to, and that made things a little bit brighter.

* * *

Well, I hope you enjoyed it.. Hopefully I'll be able to continue to update this often. Reviews are welcome.


	7. Day 6

Today is the gloomiest day of fall so far. I woke up to rain, and it hasn't stopped since. But that's OK, because the gloom puts me in the mood to write! Yay! -flings confetti- Anyway, I actually kind of _like_ this chapter, but... You'll have to tell me what you think. Thanks to everyone who reviewed, I really appreciate it.. Reviews are -love-! As are all of you! (Rain puts me in a funny mood, can you tell?) Anyway, enjoy!

* * *

"Gakuto, you should rest. You look pale." Oshitari reached up and placed a gentle hand on Mukahi's forehead. He drew back with a frown, however, and Gakuto gave him a questioning look.

"What, Yuushi?"

"You've got a fever, Gakuto. Lie down, now. I'll get more blankets and see if I can find some medicine." Grumbling softly to himself, Gakuto complied, and after giving the acrobat a soft smile and a reassuring nod, Oshitari set off.

The warehouse seemed to shrink as night pressed on, Oshitari decided. At first, the secluded building had been a miracle, an oasis in a desert of suffering. Now, it was a hospital, cold and gray and filled with uncertainty. Hyoutei's tensai stopped beside a tall shelf, scanning it for anything that looked remotely useful. Grabbing a box of bandages and butterfly-closures, he continued on.

The medicine was at the back of the building, in a clean, white cabinet that had been padlocked until Oshitari had a go at it. Slipping a bottle of painkillers and a blister pack of Sudafed into his pockets, he closed the cabinet and re-locked it before making his way back to Gakuto. When he returned, the acrobat was staring at the ceiling, lips parted in concentration. Hearing Oshitari's footsteps, however, he turned to face him.

"Way to take forever, Yuushi." Mukahi attempted a wry smile, but his lips simply twisted up in a way Oshitari found was quite frightening. His doubles partner was trying, though, and in an effort to return the favor, the tensai forced a chuckle - he sounded more like a choking horse - and helped Gakuto into a sitting position.

"As grateful as ever, I see," he said, but his voice lacked the sarcasm the joke required. Mukahi conjured up a gurgling laugh, however, and the two exchanged painful grins. "I brought you new clothes," Oshitari continued. He reached forward and took hold of Gakuto's sleeve, ready to help him undress, when he pulled his hand away suddenly, gazing at it in worry.

"What is it, Yuushi?" Mukahi questioned, looking down at his jacket. "Oh, this?" He pulled his sleeve straight, feeling its dampness beneath his fingers. "I probably just have a cut in my mouth or something. It just keeps bleeding, so I've been using my sleeve to wipe it away. Some of it is from this, too," he added, gesturing to a cut that had been hidden by his hair. Without speaking, Oshitari unzipped the jacket and slipped it off of Gakuto's thin frame, tossing it away with disgust. Mukahi pulled his own shirt over his head before reaching toward the blue t-shirt Yuushi held in his hands. The bespectacled boy held it away, however, as his sharp eyes surveyed Gakuto's exposed chest for wounds. Seeing none, he reluctantly handed over the shirt. The acrobat pulled it on, coughing slightly. As his head appeared from within the indigo fabric, a smear of red marred his chin. Oshitari reached forward and wiped it away. His hand was warm on Gakuto's face, and the redhead leaned in to the touch, falling into the tensai's chest. He felt soft lips on the top of his head, whispering words into his hair. Mukahi looked up, wanting to ask what Yuushi was saying, when Oshitari's lips were suddenly on his own, gentle and soothing. Gakuto was kissing back before he realized what was happening, wrapping his arms around Oshitari's shoulders, sagging against his chest, bathing in the closeness. He was tasting blood, probably his own, had Yuushi been bleeding? Thoughts were lost, and Yuushi was pulling away too quickly, why did he want to stop? Gakuto leaned forward, keeping their lips joined, until Oshitari had to drop one arm from Gakuto's waist to support them. Finally, Gakuto pulled back for a breath, and Oshitari took the chance to push himself up. Frowning, he reached out for Mukahi's bloody jacket and used the cleaner sleeve to wipe the blood from the acrobat's mouth.

"Open, Gakuto," he instructed. Mukahi complied, and Oshitari carefully inspected his mouth for wounds. There was nothing immediately obvious. Sighing, Yuushi leaned back. "I don't know why you're bleeding, Gakuto. We'll have to monitor that. For now, I'll dress that cut." He motioned toward the gash on Mukahi's forehead while fumbling with a butterfly-closure. It took moments to dress the wound, and when he was done, Oshitari gestured for Gakuto to lie down. He carefully wrapped the acrobat in several layers of blankets, before settling down beside Mukahi himself. Gakuto inched closer, and Yuushi slipped an arm over his mass of covers, for reassurance.

"Yuushi?" Gakuto whispered. The tensai nodded. "Why did you kiss me?"

"Because I don't want you to leave me, Gakuto."

"Since I kissed you back, does that mean you aren't going to leave me, either?" Oshitari smiled, a real, small smile, and brushed Gakuto's bangs away from his face.

"That's exactly what it means, Gakuto."

--

Shishido carefully tucked a thick, woolen blanket around his kouhai, who was sleeping fitfully, calling out his family's names in a hoarse, frightened voice. Choutarou's face was tear-streaked, and his silver hair stuck in sweaty clumps to his forehead. As Shishido leaned back to retrieve a wet cloth, Ootori lashed out, blindly fumbling for his senpai's hand.

"No, don't leave me," he mumbled, tightly clasping Shishido's hand with both of his. Allowing a small smile to cross his face, Shishido twisted himself into a sitting position and leaned gently against Choutarou's good leg.

"I'm right here, Choutarou," he whispered, dabbing the silver-haired boy's forehead with the damp cloth he'd barely managed to grab.

"Mmm.. Ryou, stay with me." Blushing furiously at his kouhai's unconscious usage of his given name, Shishido began wiping Ootori's head furiously with the cloth as his mind raced.

"I.. I'm r-right here, Choutarou," he spluttered, tossing the cloth aside and running his fingers over Ootori's forehead to make sure he hadn't rubbed it raw in his embarrassment. Choutarou was calming down now, and had settled into a position on his back, where he drew deep, even breaths. His clammy hands remained firmly wrapped around his senpai's, and Shishido struggled to arrange himself in a position comfortable enough for sleeping. He ended up resting his head against Ootori's chest, his filthy cap crumpled beneath his legs, over which he managed to drag a thin blanket. His left arm was strung across his face, where it met his right in a maze of entwined fingers.

"G'night, Choutarou," he mumbled as his weary eyelids drifted shut. Ootori mumbled something incomprehensible before sleep overtook them both, drawing its midnight curtains across their minds.

--

Eiji winced slightly as he shifted, his eyes fluttering open and meeting filtered darkness. Instantly, he reached up to clutch his head, which throbbed mercilessly. He felt his stomach twist with panic as he squeezed his eyes shut and watched the shapes dance across his eyelids. As the ache began to subside, he carefully lifted one of his hands away from his head and felt around in the spaces next to him. After a few seconds, his fingers touched something warm and soft. Opening his eyes, he felt his chest warm with relief at the sight of a sleeping Oishi, gently illuminated by the rays of silver moonlight.

"Oishi," he whispered, moving his hand over the boy's chest, coming to a rest above his heart. He let the steady beat guide his own, which had been knocking frantically against his ribs. His doubles partner groaned softly and rolled over, letting Eiji's hand fall away. "Oishi," Kikumaru whispered again, closer. "Wake up."

"Eiji.. It's not.." Suddenly, the black-haired boy's eyes snapped open. "Eij?!" He sat up in a shot, nearly knocking the acrobat back. "Am I.. Are you.."

"Oishi's not dreaming," Eiji assured him. "I'm back!" He grinned.

"Eiji," Oishi whispered, reaching out to gently touch the red-head's cheek. "How are you feeling?"

"I'm okay," he replied. "My head's a little sore. What exactly.." His bright eyes quickly lost their shine. "Oh.. the bomb." Oishi nodded sadly. "Is everyone okay?" Kikumaru watched carefully as Oishi gazed at the floor and bit his lip.

"Kabaji.. died. Protecting Fuji." Eiji's mouth opened slightly before he closed it again, unsure of what to say. "Everyone else survived," Oishi continued, as if to reassure him. Eiji nodded slowly, bringing his knees up to his chest. Oishi watched his lips move against his knees in a mumbled prayer for the tennis player. Tears blurred his vision as he reached out, pulling the acrobat close to his chest.

"Oishi," Eiji murmured, the strain in his voice obvious.

"Eiji.. I was so afraid.. You were so.. What if you hadn't woken up?" Kikumaru pressed closer.

"Even I have to sleep sometimes, silly Oishi," he mumbled. Oishi smiled through his tears.

"Of course, I was worrying too much."

"As usual," Eiji sighed.

"Mmm," Oishi nodded in agreement. "As usual."

* * *

Hope you enjoyed it.. Reviews are still welcome! ;D


	8. Day 7

It's raining again. It's obvious I live in the Peachy Weather State, huh? ;) I actually don't mind.. I prefer rain to sunshine. Hmm.. There are a bunch of crows in the tree outside my window, though.. It's like The Birds all over again. -hides- In any case, here's the update. It's a day early for Tezuka's birthday.. Maybe I'll post a oneshot for that instead. Hmm..

* * *

"Kikumaru-senpai woke up, Momo-senpai," Echizen said, giving the violet-eyed boy a gentle kick with his good leg.

"Muhfff.. Not now, Mom.. Just ten more.. What?" He sat up, rubbing the sleep out of his eyes.

"Kikumaru-senpai. Awake," Echizen repeated, pointing to the group gathered around the red-head.

"Woah! There's hope yet, there just is," Momo cried, leaping up and shaking the last traces of sleep away. "Come on Echizen, hop on. Let's go say good morning!" He knelt down and motioned for the young boy to climb onto his back. Ryoma did so sullenly, but he couldn't keep the hint of a smile from his lips. As soon as he was secure, Momo rose and rushed toward his senpai.

"Eiji-senpai, you woke up! We were all so worried! How are you feeling? You had a nasty cut there, a really nasty one!" He pushed through the group, setting Echizen down beside the acrobat before plopping down himself. Eiji grinned at him.

"Yo, Momo, Ochibi! Ooh, Echizen-chan, what happened to your leg? That's yucky, Ochibi!" Ryoma rolled his eyes, but a small smile lingered on his lips.

"It's nice to see you're awake, Kikumaru-senpai," he said. He glanced at Oishi, who was smiling broadly, eyes shining. "Good morning, Oishi-senpai," he added. Oishi nodded at him.

"Hello, Echizen. How are you feeling?"

"Okay, I guess," Ryoma replied, shrugging. Momo was talking animatedly with Eiji, and around them, members of Hyoutei and Seigaku alike were chuckling and commenting on their antics. "Kikumaru-senpai has a way of cheering people up, huh?" Oishi's smile grew, and he made a soft sound of agreement.

"Mmm, it's one of Eiji's strong points."

Instead of replying, Echizen let his eyes surf the crowd. Oshitari sat with Gakuto in his lap, grinning wryly at one of Momo's stories. Shishido had an arm around Ootori with a protective, if not slightly embarrassed, expression on his face. Kawamura sat beside Hiyoshi, beaming. Tezuka sat on the outskirts of the group beside the unconscious Fuji, a small smile playing at his lips as he watched the two teams interact. Jirou was still asleep, sprawled out across Atobe's outstretched legs. Inui and Kaidoh were sitting back-to-back, using each other as support.

With a grimace, Echizen twisted himself onto his knees and began crawling painfully toward Tezuka and Fuji. When he arrived next to them, the buchou gave him a slight nod in greeting.

"How's Fuji-senpai, buchou?" Ryoma asked, glancing at the tensai in apprehension.

"Alive," Tezuka replied, before resting his hand over Fuji's heart as if to confirm his answer. Echizen wasn't quite sure how to answer that, so he didn't, opting for silence instead. He knew Tezuka wouldn't feel compelled to continue a conversation, so he didn't have to feel guilty ignoring him. Ryoma's eyes found Momo instead, and watched him laugh with the rest of the boys. Feeling the weight of someone's gaze, Momoshiro looked up and met Echizen's stare. He smiled, and Ryoma smiled back.

--

The rain started early that afternoon, a nonstop drumming on the warehouse's roof. People were getting restless, and talk of an expedition to the main building was circulating. Atobe had disappeared sometime that morning, and when Jirou had woken to find him gone, the narcoleptic boy had panicked, sprinting out into the rain and screaming Atobe's name until Shishido and Hiyoshi dragged him back in, settling him down and promising him that Atobe would return. He did, a few hours later, soaking wet and bleeding lightly from a long scratch up his arm. The minute he walked in, Jirou was shouting at him, mixing curses and insults into long strings until Atobe turned and walked out again. Jirou immediately quieted and went after him. The pair returned a few minutes later, talking quietly.

--

By late afternoon, the tension was thick. No one was allowed to leave the warehouse unless they had a companion and a specific reason to go. The boys were on edge; every noise sent shivers down their spines, and the occasional sob from someone who had succumbed to their thoughts of despair sent tears rushing to their eyes. Finally, after a particularly long silence, Hiyoshi rose.

"I can't take this anymore. I have to find out what happened. I'm going to look for a radio." In an instant, Tezuka was in front of him, eyes flashing with anger.

"I understand your impatience," he said, "but we have no idea what's out there. An excursion of any kind is out of the question until we are all in proper condition and have a plan of some sort. To go now would be asking for death." Hiyoshi narrowed his eyes slightly, but sat down again, resting his head against the cold wall of the warehouse. Taka nodded at him in sympathy, and Hiyoshi forced a smile.

"Your captain won't leave the warehouse until Fuji-san wakes up," he said. Kawamura smiled softly.

"You're probably right," he replied.

"That means none of us can leave the warehouse until Fuji-san wakes up," Hiyoshi continued.

"Mmm, most likely," Taka agreed.

"That means we'll never find out what's going on out there," Hiyoshi finished, the bitterness evident in his voice.

"Oh no, Fuji will wake up," Kawamura assured him. Hiyoshi frowned and kicked the floor. Suddenly, another voice rang out. Looking up, Kawamura and Hiyoshi found Oishi standing in the center of the room, brown-eyed gaze directed firmly at Tezuka.

"Tezuka. I think you're wrong about leaving the warehouse. It's true that we need a plan, but that can be constructed in a matter of hours, if we put our minds to it. I know you're worried about Fuji, but don't you think he'll be concerned about Yuuta and his family when he wakes up? There will be no way to provide him with the information he'll be craving if we don't have access to a radio. Those of us who are strong enough to go on the expedition will go, and those who are injured will stay behind. Fuji won't be left alone. We'll be gone a day, perhaps two. The chances of Fuji waking up in that timeframe are slim. Going now will prevent a trip that Fuji will otherwise insist upon when he wakes up. Please, Tezuka."

The captain was silent. His eyes were trained on Fuji, who lay motionless beside him. Finally, he spoke, his voice strained.

"Alright. We'll go. I'm sorry, Hiyoshi-kun, for denying your earlier request. I was being selfish." He paused for a moment, biting his lip before continuing. "I want everyone who is healthy enough to make it to the main building to meet with me in fifteen minutes." There was a pregnant pause, before a murmur of agreement shot around the room.

"Thank you," Oishi said, smiling down at his friend. Tezuka gave a quick nod.

"Thank you for insulting my erred judgement so politely," he replied. Oishi chuckled lightly.

"Any time, Tezuka."

* * *

Woo, plot movement! I thought it was about time. They'd been sitting around and being fluffily angsty for too long now. Anyway, reviews are still welcome:). Thanks to everyone who has left a comment so far, I really enjoy the feedback! Oh, and one question: What do you guys think of the chapter length? Are they too short? Too long? I'd love it if you'd let me know. Thanks!

[Oh, and I'm also willing to beta for anyone that needs it. Just PM for info or whatnot.


	9. Day 8

Thanks to everyone who has reviewed so far - I can't tell you how much I appreciate it. This chapter is a little longer than the others have been, since a few people thought the previous segments were a little on the short side. Hopefully this is the right sort of length; you'll have to let me know! I promise, things are going to start moving quickly again, starting with this chapter. I spent half my class story-lining the other day, so I know where things are headed! -excited- (Before you tsk-tsk me for not paying attention in class.. It was block day. 1 1/2 hour classes get boring. And it was English, too. Totally appropriate.) Wow.. This is the longest A/N I've written. And it's basically useless. Anyway. On to the chapter..

* * *

"You have to stay, Choutarou." Shishido said it simply, quite sure his partner wouldn't argue.

"Oh, I know, Shishido-san," Ootori replied amiably. "My leg would hinder everyone's progress. I'm in no shape for such an important expedition. You'll just have to tell me everything that happened when you get back, okay?" Shishido nodded.

"Of course. Promise me you'll take good care of yourself while I'm gone, alright?" He reached out and gently ran his hand through Choutarou's hair.

"I promise," Ootori said, smiling. "You be careful too, Shishido-san." The capped boy nodded.

"Okay. I'll come tell you all the details after the meeting, okay?" Choutarou nodded, and Shishido rose with an air of uncertain finality. "Okay, see ya."

"Bye," Ootori replied. Shishido wondered if the twisting in his stomach was food poisoning.

--

"I think you should stay, Eiji," Oishi said, pulling a sweatshirt over his head. "We don't know how severe your injury is, and if you were to faint from overexertion, I would never forgive myself."

"I guess so," Kikumaru replied, picking at a scab on his knee.

"I'll come say bye after we decide on a plan, okay?" Oishi asked. Eiji nodded, and gave his doubles partner a weak smile. With that, Oishi left, wishing the cut on his cheek would drown out the pain of leaving the acrobat behind.

--

"I suppose I should go," Inui said, sighing. "I'll be helpful when we find the radio." Kaidoh nodded, fiddling with his shoelace.

"I'm coming too," he replied. Inui leaned against the wall and pushed up his glasses.

"Are you sure?" he asked. Kaidoh nodded and rose.

"Let's go meet Tezuka-buchou," he said, extending a hand to his senpai. Inui took hit gratefully and let Kaidoh pull him up. When they were both standing, they exchanged a long glance, before nodding simultaneously and setting off in the direction of their captain.

--

"Sorry to abandon you like this, Echizen," Momo teased, standing up. The younger boy shrugged.

"Not like I can go anywhere anyway," he replied. "Just take care of yourself, Momo-senpai. Don't do anything stupid." Momo made a face and ruffled the boy's hair.

"Will do. You take good care of Fuji-senpai while I'm gone, or Tezuka-buchou will have you running laps for the rest of your life, Echizen." Ryoma snorted.

"That's probably the best advice you've ever given me," he said. "Now go see Tezuka-buchou, or he'll have _you_ running laps until you die." Echizen suddenly stopped, realizing what he'd said. Their eyes met, wide and uncertain. Momo gave his kouhai a shaky smile.

"Hah, you're probably right. I'd be running for a long time!" he added. Echizen nodded gratefully. "Well, I'll come back to say bye before we go."

"Okay, Bye, Momo-senpai."

"Bye, Echizen."

--

"There's no way you're going, Gakuto. Not with that bloody mouth of yours. And I mean that in the most literal sense," Oshitari said, pulling a jacket over his strong shoulders. "There's no use arguing, either. You're being ordered by your lover."

Mukahi did his best to fight down the blush that was rushing to his cheeks, but failed miserably. He countered with a frown instead, and crossed his arms across his chest.

"That's not fair, Yuushi. Lovers are supposed to be compassionate, not act like drill sergeants." Oshitari grinned and gave Gakuto a quick peck on the top of his head before pulling him into a soft hug.

"I could be a compassionate sergeant," he murmured. Mukahi sighed and hugged back.

"Well you're not doing a very good job so far," he said, pouting. Yuushi gave his hair a quick ruffle before stepping back.

"I'll work on it," he promised. "And I'll come say bye properly before we leave. Rest some more."

"Yes sir," Gakuto grumbled, pulling the covers up to his chin. "See you when you come back."

Oshitari nodded, and Mukahi watched him saunter away, hands shoved deep into his pockets.

--

"You're going to tell me I have to stay behind, huh?" Jirou yawned and stretched out across the thick blanket. Atobe nodded.

"It makes the most sense, Jirou. You'll be safer that way." The sleepy boy nodded and curled into a ball.

"Mmm, okay, Atobe. Wake me up before you leave, alright?" he mumbled, nestling his head into the pillow.

"Of course. I'll be back soon," Atobe promised. The slow, steady breaths of Jirou as he slept where his only response.

--

Tezuka cleared his throat. The group before him quieted and gazed upon him with questioning stares. The bespectacled captain made a quick mental list of the disheveled bunch: Oshitari, Hiyoshi, Momoshiro, Atobe, Oishi, Kawamura, Inui, Kaidoh, and Shishido. A strong team.

"I suppose we have nothing to work with as we plan," Tezuka began, opting to skip any introduction. "Everything out there is a mystery. Even the surroundings that may have once been familiar to those who attend Hyoutei will have changed, so don't count on any specific landmarks to guide your way."

"What say we improvise, in that case?" Oshitari said. "It seems like it would make the most sense and waste the least amount of time." Tezuka nodded.

"Ah. Most of our actions will be spontaneous. But in case of separation or emergency, we need to have a basic goal, as well as areas of rendezvous and signals."

"I thought the goal of this was to contact someone in the city or connect to a radio station to get some sense of what's going on," Inui said.

"It is," Atobe snapped. Inui raised an eyebrow.

"Alright, so, in the event you are separated from your group, remember that the primary objective is to contact someone who might be able to provide useful information," Tezuka summarized.

"The main building is the most likely place to hold that kind of technology," Inui speculated. There was a consensual nod among the Hyoutei boys.

"Yeah, the main office," Shishido said. "Ground floor, near the front door."

"So, we're to head to the main office?" Kawamura asked. Tezuka nodded.

"We'll plan to meet up there. As for meeting places, the tennis courts are easily locatable. If things go awry, head there. Can everyone here whistle?" There was a collective nod. "Excellent. If you are separated from your group or need to contact another team, whistle. Each group should determine their own melody," he ordered.

"Do you already have a plan as to how to divide us, Tezuka?" Oishi asked.

"Yes. There will be two groups of three and one of four. They are as follows; Team One, myself, Momoshiro, and Oshitari. Team Two, Atobe, Oishi, and Shishido. Team Three, Hiyoshi, Inui, Kaidoh, and Kawamura. Let's group accordingly and design our signals now."

Momo and Oshitari moved toward the captain, while Atobe, Oishi, and Shishido moved off to one side. Hiyoshi and Kawamura went to sit with Inui and Kaidoh.

"How about three short notes, beginning in the key of... Hmm, E, I believe, and dropping two octaves near the end?" Inui suggested.

"Speak english, senpai," Kaidoh muttered. Inui sighed and pushed his glasses up.

"Start out high, drop the note at the end, and do it three times." He demonstrated softly. Hiyoshi, Kaidoh, and Kawamura followed suit.

"That works well," Taka said, smiling.

"Good. Let's do our best to keep each other safe and obtain the goal," Inui replied. The rest nodded silently.

--

"How about the classic whistle?" Shishido offered. "It's the easiest, and no one will mix it up with a bird call." Oishi shrugged.

"That sounds fine to me," he replied. Atobe nodded.

To their left, Tezuka, Momoshiro, and Oshitari were grouped, talking softly.

"How about the opening notes of Beethoven's 5th?" Yuushi suggested. Tezuka ran through the symphony in his head before nodding.

"That's excellent," he replied. Momo scratched his head.

"Uhh, remind me how that one goes again?" he said, grinning awkwardly. Oshitari rolled his eyes.

"Dun dun dun dunn," he hummed.

"Ooh, I know that one," Momo exclaimed, before whistling it softly. "Yeah, I definitely know that one."

"Good." Tezuka turned away and addressed the other groups. "Have you all come to an agreement?"

"Yes," Atobe and Inui replied in unison. Each team quickly demonstrated their signals.

"Then we're prepared to go," Tezuka announced. His voice was grim.

--

The expedition set off after a few last minutes of detached farewells. Tezuka spent his time ensuring Fuji's comfort and well-being, wrapping him in several thick blankets and instructing Kikumaru to monitor the tensai carefully for any signs of disturbance. When he was sure all was well, he leaned down, placing a gentle hand on Fuji's warm cheek. "I'll come back," he whispered. With that, he rose, and strode toward the door.

Across the rest of the warehouse, there was a flurry of movement. Oshitari gave Gakuto a quick kiss before hurrying off; Atobe offered Jirou his pillow in parting, and Oishi gave Eiji a reassuring sqeeze. Shishido, blushing furiously, kissed a bewildered Choutarou on the cheek before darting off, and Momo gave Echizen a wink, a thumbs up, and a, 'See ya, Echizen.' Inui, Kaidoh, Hiyoshi, and Kawamura walked toward Tezuka in pairs, their faces strained.

The groups formed quickly and stood before Tezuka in silence. He gave them all a swift nod before turning and pushing the door open.

"Let's go."

* * *

Not _fond_ of this chapter, but I don't despise it, either. I hope nobody found it too boring. I'll do my best to update soon! Reviews are welcome!


	10. Day 9

Okay, WOW. Really long chapter here. I apologize for it's length, but splitting it would have absolutely killed it. I don't want to ruin it by droning on up here, so I'll stop now.

hr /hr 

Darkness enveloped the three teams as they stepped outside. The crescent moon barely illuminated the ground, and the littering of debris and broken branches that coated the ground made traveling quickly difficult and dangerous.

"We need to proceed carefully," Tezuka advised the group. "As you know, each team will take a different route, as a safety precaution. If you run into trouble, do your absolute best to signal to the other two teams that there is potential danger nearby. If you hear a signal, retreat immediately. The preservation of lives is far more important than gaining information." He sighed, and motioned for his group to follow him. "Good luck, everyone."

--

"Senpai, is the darkness a problem for you?" Kaidoh asked, as he, Inui, Hiyoshi, and Kawamura began picking their way through the grounds.

"It doesn't affect me any more than it affects you," Inui replied. "In fact, I may be at an advantage, since I'm used to maneuvering around things I have difficulty seeing when I'm without my glasses."

"Oh. That's good," Kaidoh said, stepping over a thick branch.

"Do you think there is anyone around here?" Kawamura asked. His voice wavered slightly, and it was obvious he was afraid.

"Probably not," Hiyoshi replied in the most reassuring voice he could muster. "They probably just bombed the crap out of this place and then moved on. It's just a school, after all. It doesn't seem like they'd think it was much of a threat."

"I agree, Hiyoshi. If there are troops stationed on the ground, they are most likely positioned in the city, where they can keep track of government officials and such," Inui added.

"Inui-senpai, do you think you know who attacked us?" Kaidoh questioned.

"Well, I've thought about it quite a bit, and - watch out for those low-hanging branches - I can't honestly say for sure. With our declining population, we aren't in much of a position to pose a major military threat to anyone. I suppose the rumors of the robotic army there's been talk of developing might have scared some countries into taking action, though. As a country, Japan is miles ahead of much of the world when it comes to technology. I've taken the sort of weaponry that was used into consideration as well, which eliminated quite a few areas. I can safely assume that the attacker was a wealthy country, judging by the sheer size of their air force. In any case - left, here, Hiyoshi? Ah, excellent, we're close - it may not even be a single country. We could be facing an attack from a united force, which would make a retaliation highly difficult."

"So you basically have no idea," Hiyoshi said flatly. Inui shrugged.

"Not much of one, no."

"Ah well, hopefully we'll find out soon, then," Kawamura encouraged. The data-player nodded.

"Certainly. We're drawing near."

--

Tezuka, Momoshiro, and Oshitari stopped in front of what must've been a rather imposing building not too long ago. Half of it still stood, towering above them in a strange, disheveled glory. The other half was utterly destroyed; nothing but a pile of rubble.

"Is this it?" Tezuka questioned, his eyes flicking over Oshitari, who looked stunned.

"Ah.. Yes. It is," he replied slowly. Without bothering to reply, Tezuka strode toward the building, ducking under the twisted, iron door frame. He turned and motioned for Momo and Oshitari to follow.

"Where would the office be?"

"Over there," Oshitari said, pointing to a charred door, barely clinging to its hinges. The three of them started toward the room carefully, picking their way across the chunks of cement and fallen light fixtures. When they reached the door, Tezuka stopped short, his eyes narrowed in concentration. Momoshiro and Oshitari were silent, exchanging slightly wide-eyed glances.

"Atobe, Oishi, and Shishido are in there," Tezuka finally announced, stepping through the door.

"Ah, Tezuka!" Oishi greeted the captain with relief. "You made it."

"Hn. Have you found anything useful?" Oishi glanced at Atobe and Shishido, who were bent over a small, black box.

"Possibly. We think it's a transmitter of sorts, but it was damaged and none of us know how to wire it."

"I might be able to help with that," a voice echoed from the doorway.

"Inui, Kaidoh, Hiyoshi-kun, Taka-san; you're all safe." Oishi's smile grew. "That's wonderful."

"Come look at this, Inui," Atobe called. The data-player made his way over and crouched beside them. Everyone else gathered around, watching the black-haired boy nimbly disconnect and rejoin the tangle of wires. Suddenly, there was a crackle, and the radio buzzed to life.

"It was wired incorrectly as a safety precaution. It must be channeled to an important bureau. Let's see what they have to say." He pressed his thumb to the thin, gray button that would transmit his words miles away. "Is this a working station? Out." There was a surge of static, and a few minutes passed before there was a reply.

"Yes, we're fully functional. Are you a survivor? Out." Inui prepared to answer, when Tezuka cut in.

"Inui. Don't tell them too much. We can't trust anyone." Inui nodded.

"You're right." He pressed the button. "Yes, I survived the bombing. What's going on? Out."

"We..." There was another loud crackle, disrupting the voice. There were soft murmurs behind the static, but they were incomprehensible. "Areas all over Tokyo were bombed by the United Nations." Inui's eyebrows rose. "Are there others with you? Out." Shishido frowned.

"Do you think we should tell them how many of us there are? They seem fairly trustworthy.. They did give us information, after all. Would the enemy do that sort of thing?" he pointed out.

"Don't be specific, Inui. Say you couldn't understand their last transmission, and we'll analyze their response before we give away anything else," Tezuka ordered.

"Your last transmission was garbled. Out," Inui released the button quickly.

"It's alright. We have your location. Stay where you are, help is on the way. Over and out." Inui set the radio on the ground and stood up.

"I have my doubts, but I'm fairly sure they're trustworthy," he announced. Everyone nodded.

"Let's move to a position where we can will most likely see them arrive while keeping ourselves hidden," Atobe suggested.

"It should be somewhere that will allow for an easy escape, if necessary," Tezuka added.

"My old classroom is on the side of the building that survived the attack. It's near the back of the school, close to a set of doors that lead directly into the grounds. You can see the main driveway from there as well," Hiyoshi offered.

"Excellent," Inui replied. "Lead the way."

The group filed out of the office, Hiyoshi in front. They wove through the debris, until they reached a partially blocked-off room. Hiyoshi wrenched open the door, slipping into the classroom. Everyone followed, where they joined Hiyoshi near the window. They crouched low, careful to keep completely out of sight. Mere minutes later, four Jeeps rolled into the driveway. They sported the emblem of the Japanese armed force, and their occupants were dressed in a camouflaged uniform. The boys watched in silence as a group of ten men exited the cars and made their way toward the building. Their footsteps echoed through the halls, and Kawamura could hear the faint buzz of voices. The sounds faded, however, as the men entered the office. There was a series of bangs and crashes, before they all heard someone shout: "They aren't here, damn it. Look in all the classrooms." Everyone's eyes widened.

"That.. that wasn't Japanese," Momo stammered.

"No. It was English," Atobe replied, and quickly translated.

"We need to get out of here," Tezuka whispered, rising. "Quickly. Hiyoshi, you lead, as you know the way to the exit. Hurry, now." Hiyoshi nodded, his face stricken with panic. He carefully made his way to the door and glanced out. Seeing no one, he darted into the hall. The group followed, with Tezuka bringing up the rear. They could hear the soldiers fighting their way into the various classrooms, shouting to each other in their strange, sharp language. Tezuka felt a blast of cold, night air whip through his hair. Hiyoshi was out, followed by Oishi, Shishido, Kaidoh, Inui, Kawamura, Oshitari, Momoshiro, and then Atobe. Tezuka was halfway out the door when he heard someone yell. There was an ear-splitting crack, and something shot past his ear and slammed into the wall.

A bullet.

"Run!" Tezuka shouted, darting out the door. "Everyone, take separate routes! Whatever you do, don't let them see you!" With that, he was running, his feet pounding ruthlessly against the ground. He could hear the heavy footsteps of the soldiers behind them, and more bullets went whizzing past him, lodging themselves into nearby trees. He darted further into the grounds, twisting through the trees. Branches scratched at his face, and he held his glasses tightly in his fist, having rendered them more of a hindrance than a help. Several times he nearly tripped, barely recovering in time to keep ahead of the soldiers. Every now and then, he caught flashes of a teammate sprinting a few yards away from him, and veered off, wanting to keep anyone else as far away as possible. The bullets had ceased, and he could no longer hear the shouts of the soldiers behind him, but his feet refused to stop running. He could see the dark shape of the warehouse in the distance, and silently prayed that everyone inside was safe.

--

He woke with a jolt, eyes wide, as memories of the explosion coursed through his mind.

_There was an ear-splitting crash as the bomb detonated, and the boy - who was it? He was big, strong; flying at him, knocking him to the ground, pinning him down. Debris was everywhere, scratching at his exposed arms. Something thudded into the figure atop him, pressing the boy into his ribs. He felt some crack, but was only distantly aware of the searing pain. The heavy breaths had stopped, was the boy dead? He felt his heart pounding furiously against his chest._

_"I don't want to die," he mumbled against the body. "I don't want to-" Something struck the boy again, and the dull crack of more ribs shattering inside him sent flashes of sudden, acute pain through his chest. His eyes snapped open, pools of blue ringed by fire. Then, everything went back._

"Yuuta," Fuji mumbled. "Yuuta.. Did I warn you?" He sat up, gritting his teeth as pain shot through his body. "Where.." He looked around, seeing only the sleeping figures of Eiji, Echizen, and what appeared to be Jirou, Ootori, and Mukahi. "Tezuka." He stood, ignoring the dull ache that occupied his entire body. As his vision cleared, he stumbled toward the door. _"Where are you?"_

--

Tezuka pushed open the warehouse door quickly, ducking inside. He immediately caught sight of Kaidoh and Shishido, sending a rush of relief through his body. They were standing in a group, conversing in low voices with Ootori, Jirou, Mukahi, Echizen, and Kikumaru. Making his way over, he realized they were gathered around a pile of rumpled blankets that looked all too familiar. His heart leapt into his throat as he recognized a bloodstained pillow.

"What's-" He stopped instantly. "Where's-" Ootori looked up at him, his eyes filled with disbelief and grievance.

"Fuji's.. gone."

hr /hr 

Sorry about the last paragraph of this.. It's not exactly snazzy. How do you guys think I did with the action segments? I've never really written this kind of survival story before, so.. Hopefully I did alright. Thanks again to those who reviewed last time, I really appreciate it!


	11. Day 10

Thanks so much to everyone who reviewed last time! I really appreciate the comments! (For some reason, isn't letting me edit in the little 'hr' code.. It happened with the last chapter, too. I dunno if it's my computer or the site.. Anyone know what might be happening? I run on Safari.)

-------------------------

Tezuka paced restlessly, his gaze flickering constantly from Fuji's abandoned bed to the warehouse doors. Everyone had returned safely, save for Inui and Atobe. Kaidoh was standing by a small window, wrapping his bandana around his fingers again and again as his eyes strained to see through the darkness. Jiroh was sitting in silence, his gaze trained on the warehouse door. Everyone else exchanged awkward glances, somewhat estranged by the situation. Those who had been a part of the expedition seemed shocked into silence, but it was obvious to anyone that something had gone very, very wrong.

--

Atobe limped through the trees, his face contorted in a mixture of pain and determination. He couldn't hear the soldiers anymore, but it was unlikely that they had given up the chase. If they had bothered to send troops out to pick up a bunch of kids, they must have had an incentive for capturing them in the first place.

The warehouse wasn't far anymore; he could distinctly see the shape of the large building against the starry sky. WIth his last ounce of strength, Atobe pushed forward, driving his aching legs toward the large, steel doors. Wrenching them open, he barged into the building, expecting utter chaos. Instead, however, he found the group sitting in complete silence, the only sound being the repetitive thump of Tezuka's footsteps as he paced across the floor. Eyes wide, he felt his knees buckle as his legs gave way. Shaking his head, he landed on the ground with a soft thud, the words already forming in his mouth.

"What the hell is going on here? We could be ambushed by a group of armed soldiers at any minute, and you are all sitting around watching Tezuka pace? We need to get out of here, now! You!" He pointed at Oshitari, Mukahi, and Jiroh. "Pack medication. Anything you can fit into a bag comes with us! Oishi, Kikumaru, Momoshiro, and Echizen! Pack food! Anyone else, just put anything we might need in a bad and prepare to flee. We don't have time to dawdle!" He glared around the room, panting hard. Everyone stared back, before all at once, there was a mad dash for the shelves as the boys hastily swept things they couldn't even name into duffel bags.

"Atobe."

It was Tezuka.

"What?" the Hyouteian spat.

"Fuji's missing. We can't leave without him. Inui hasn't returned, either-"

"I'm right here, Tezuka." Kaidoh whirled around at the sound of his senpai's voice. Inui stood in the center of the warehouse, his clothes torn and bloody.

"Senpai," Kaidoh whispered, starting toward the data specialist. Tezuka and Atobe watched as the two shared a long, meaningful look, before turning away to join the others in the packing frenzy. FInally, Atobe turned back to Seigaku's captain, his face hard, and his mouth set in a grim line.

"Tezuka, I understand that you're worried about Fuji, but we cannot risk the lives of our teammates to wait for someone who may already be dead. We can keep an eye out for him as we move to a new location, but we don't have to time to waste looking for him!" Tezuka's eyes narrowed at Atobe's words.

"You have no idea what you're talking about, Atobe."

"Perhaps not, but I know where I stand when it comes to priorities, Tezuka! It is perfectly reasonable to value fifteen lives over one!"

Tezuka did not reply. Instead, he strode over to the pile of duffel bags that had accumulated in the center of the room, grabbed the top one, and slung it over his shoulder as he continued toward the back door.

"We best leave now, then, before it gets light." His voice was cold and harsh, and as he turned to face the group, his eyes glinted with a steely malice. Exchanging worried glances, the two teams followed after him, shivering slightly as the cold night air snaked around them.

"There's a neighborhood just the other side of the school fence," Atobe whispered, falling into step beside Tezuka.

"We'll go there, then."

--

The group proceeded quickly and silently, no one daring a word. They were aware of every sound, and anything unnatural sent them scurrying off the path, into the shadows of the trees. Within thirty minutes, they had left the school grounds and were now weaving their way through the abandoned streets in soundless awe. The houses were completely abandoned, their windows dark. Doors had been flung open, and clothes and bags littered the sidewalks, abandoned by the citizens as they had met their fate. Tezuka lead the group through several dark alleyways, bringing them deeper into the city. There was absolutely no sign of life, nor death. The streets were completely bare of bodies.

"Strange," Oishi mulled. "It's almost as if people left by will."

"Mmm," Inui agreed from somewhere behind him. "If there was any killing, they did it cleanly."

"But they shot at us, senpai," Kaidoh reminded him. "Recklessly, too."

"Perhaps because we were fleeing," Inui replied. "Although why they would care about a fairly harmless group of middle school students, I don't know.."

"It doesn't look like they left anyone behind," Kawamura speculated, looking around. "Perhaps they aren't here to kill.. Maybe they have another incentive?"

"But what could that be?" Inui mumbled.

"We're here," Tezuka interjected. Looking up, the group found themselves in front of a small, inconspicuous house. Placed on a back alley, it was well out of sight and protected by the tall apartment buildings on either side.

"Nicely chosen, Tezuka," Atobe commented, moving up the front steps. He pushed the front door open all the way with his foot and poked his head in. "It looks safe," he called, and disappeared inside. The rest followed warily, dragging their bags and surveying the house with apprehensive gazes.

Inside, the house was completely dark. Echizen reached for a light switch, but was quickly halted by Oshitari, who shook his head.

"Lights will give us away," he whispered.

"It's so strange," Kikumaru cried, "nothing's out of place!"

It was true. The house looked as if its inhabitants had simply been erased from the earth. Lunch sat on the table, and a book lay open on the living room table.

"It's vaguely creepy," Momo admitted, looking around.

"Really creepy," Ootori agreed. Shishido immediately grabbed his hand and rubbed his thumb against the taller boy's palm. Choutarou offered him a small smile, which he determinedly returned, before starting forward toward the kitchen, where everyone else had convened. Inside, people were talking in low voices, discussing the possibilities of the soldiers searching the area.

"Tezuka, what do you-- Tezuka?" Oishi looked around, his eyes wide. "Where is he?"

--

The sun was already beginning to rise over the hills in the distance as Tezuka wove his way back through the neighborhood streets. Cursing softly, he ducked into an alley and gazed across the street at the fence surrounding Hyoutei's grounds. Light already kissed the tops of the trees, and in the distance, he could see helicopters turning circles above what would most likely be central Tokyo.

Taking a deep breath, he shrank back into the shadows before dashing across the street. Nimbly slipping under the fence, he sprinted deep into the grounds, finally coming to a stop beneath a tall tree. Collapsing against the trunk, he let his eyes survey the land, trying to ignore the sinking feeling in his stomach. This area alone was massive. What was the chance he would ever find Fuji?

_"Tezuka?"_

The captain whirled around, his eyes wide.

"Fuji?"

The tensai stood before him, his face pale. Blood trickled down his face from a long gash on his forehead, and his voice had been ragged and breathless.

"Tezuka.." Fuji stumbled forward, reaching toward him. Tezuka hurriedly stretched out to catch him, pulling the frail body close to his.

"It's alright, Fuji," he mumbled, unable to stop the tears from welling up in his eyes. "It's okay." He breathed in the tensai's scent, reveling in their closeness. Finally, he pulled away, immediately despising the cold morning air that replaced Fuji's comforting warmth. Gripping the boy's hand instead, he motioned for him to follow. Fuji looked at him uncertainly. "Can you walk?" The tensai shook his head. "I'll carry you, then." Hesitantly, he bent over. Fuji slowly climbed onto his back, wrapping his arms around Tezuka's neck. Rising, the captain carefully placed Fuji's legs around his waist before starting back toward the fence. They had gone but two steps, however, when there was a shout from somewhere behind them.

"Hey! You! Stop!" Fuji's eyes snapped open.

"Tezuka," he rasped, "put me down and run."

"No," Tezuka replied, shifting his weight slightly and breaking into a slow jog. "I'm not leaving you behind."

"Don't be foolish, Tezuka! I'm as good as dea--" Tezuka released his grip on the tensai's legs, sending Fuji plummeting toward the ground. Before the tensai could fall completely, however, he reached back and grabbed Fuji's hand, quickly guiding him under the fence. Tezuka began fumbling to pick Fuji up again, but the tensai twisted out of his grip and instead pushed him to the ground as a bullet whizzed through the air above them.

"Fuji," he breathed, gazing in awe at the clear, blue eyes shining down on him. They stayed like that for a moment, until another shot rang out through the grounds. Scurrying to his feet, Fuji pulled the captain up and broke into a run, his strides weak and unsteady.

"C'mon Tezuka, I can run a little bit, see?" he panted, looking over his shoulder.

"Ah... There are houses we can take refuge in not too far from here. Can you make it?"

"Of course!"

They ran quickly, dipping in and out of alleys and through rows of shrubbery. The shouts of the soldiers weren't far behind them when they turned a corner, leading them directly to a dead end.

"In here," Tezuka whispered, pulling Fuji alongside a tall, dark house. The side door hung open, barely clinging to its hinges. Ducking inside, the pair retreated to a dark corner in the back of the house. They sat in silence, Fuji's eyes shut tight and Tezuka's constantly sweeping the house, searching for any sign of life. Outside, the soldiers were banging around, firing random bullets and calling to each other in their awkward language. Someone shouted something particularly loudly, and there was a scurry of movement in the street as the sounds grew fainter. Fuji opened his eyes, a slight glow of relief accentuating the eerie blue.

"They thought they saw footprints going the other direction," he explained. Tezuka raised an eyebrow.

"You.."

"Speak English, yeah. My dad works in London, so he teaches us whenever he comes back to visit."

"Ah."

"Tezuka.." Fuji gazed hard at the floor, moving his fingers in circles on the wood. "Why did you come look for me?"

"I.." Tezuka paused. He knew why he had gone to find the tensai, it was written clearly across his mind. Yet, he didn't know how to explain it, other than.. "I knew you weren't dead." Cringing mentally, he cast a wary gaze at Fuji. That wasn't exactly what he had wanted to say.

"Oh." Fuji didn't seem particularly affected.

"Why did you run away when you woke up?"

"I panicked."

"Ah."

"You weren't there. I hadn't had a chance to call Yuuta before..." he trailed off, his eyes closed again. "He's dead, isn't he."

"Yuuta?"

"No. Kabaji."

Tezuka's eyes widened slightly before he nodded, slowly.

"Ah."

Fuji looked away, tears threatening to spill down his cheeks.

"It was my fault, Tezuka. I started running toward the main building.. I had to let Yuuta know.. Kabaji shouted after me, telling me I was going the wrong way. I didn't listen, though, and then.. The bomb went off, and he threw himself on top of me." Fuji slowly trailed a slender finger through a teardrop, spreading the saltwater across the floor. "Tezuka.. It's like.. I killed him."

----------------------------

BLEH. Sorry, guys. This chapter? Big thumbs down. I'll probably try and rewrite it or give it a serious edit sometime soon.. Ugh.. Hopefully you guys managed to survive through it.. Reviews are welcome, if you can stand commenting on this awful chapter.


	12. Day 11

Sorry.. Semi-long time, no update. And now.. I'm forcing this on you. I'm fond of some parts, but others are a bit blah. It's incredibly long, so hopefully this will last everyone until I can update next. Swim team and school are eating me alive, so updates might be less frequent now. I'll do my best to keep them regular, though! Reviews are more than welcome! (And I apologize for any mistakes/typos, etc.. I was way too lazy to reread all of this and edit. Please let me know if there's something so horrible, it completely alters the meaning of a sentence or whatnot. Thanks! )

* * *

Tezuka tentatively placed a hand on Fuji's shoulder as the tensai let his head fall into his hands.

"I wanted to get to the main building," he explained in a soft voice. "I needed to warn Yuuta of the ships. Kabaji realized I wasn't running for protection and grabbed my arm, telling me no. I tried to tell him to go, to find safety, but he just shook his head. Then it was too late, and the bomb was going off, and..." He trailed off, cheeks damp.

"It wasn't your fault, Fuji," Tezuka insisted. Fuji smiled slightly and looked up.

"Since when do you lie, Tezuka?"

"I don't."

Fuji sighed and looked away, out toward the window. The sun was high, and light filtered through the glass, illuminating the dust dancing through the air.

"We should get some sleep," Tezuka mumbled after a long silence.

"Mm." Fuji slid down the wall and slumped onto the floor.

"I'll keep watch while you sleep," Tezuka informed him, although he wasn't quite sure if the tensai had heard, for there was no response. Glancing down, he slowly reached out and brushed the hair out of Fuji's face, before gently rubbing away the dried tears with his thumb. Fuji made a small noise and rolled over, closer to Tezuka, with his arm laying across the captain's legs. Tezuka carefully lifted him so that Fuji's head rested comfortably on his thigh before leaning back against the wall. His eyelids were heavy with lack of sleep, and every now and then his vision blurred. His stomach was twisted with hunger and his legs burned from the exertion of his many, desperate sprints. The steady, soft breathing of Fuji as he slept was all Tezuka could hear, and he had to fight valiantly to keep himself awake. He stayed this way for an hour at least, until finally, he could battle his exhaustion no longer, and his eyes drifted shut as sleep overcame him.

Fuji woke with a start, the floor glowing red in the setting sun. His head lay on something soft - Tezuka's leg, he noted with a blush. The captain himself was fast asleep, one arm resting on Fuji's back and the other keeping himself upright. The tensai smiled softly to himself before wriggling out of Tezuka's hold. Taking care not to wake the sleeping boy, he tiptoed across the floor, peeking in the rooms as he passed. When he finally reached the kitchen, he found many of the cupboards empty, save for a bag of rice, a few bottles of soy sauce, and several jars of pickled plums. Removing a pot as quietly as possible, he hurried to the sink to fill it. No matter how far he twisted the tap, however, it refused to wield water. With a sudden jolt of fear, he realized that the enemy must have cut off the water running through the city. Cursing softly, he grabbed a jar of pickled plums instead and returned to where Tezuka remained fast asleep.

"Tezuka," he murmured, gently shaking the captain. Setting down the jar of plums, he took the boy by both shoulders and leaned in close. "Tezuka," he repeated, shaking him again, "wake up!" The bespectacled boy's eyes shot open with a soft cry, and as his vision focused, a faint blush crept across his cheeks.

"Fuji."

"Breakfast time," the tensai sang, holding up the jar. Tezuka blinked before reaching to accept it. Fuji sat beside him with a sigh and watched as he twisted off the lid.

"I'm sorry, I fell asleep," Tezuka apologized, offering the plums to Fuji, who took one gratefully.

"Of course you did, you've been through far more than I have. We both would have woken up if something out of the ordinary had happened."

"Ah," Tezuka agreed, biting into the small, sour fruit.

"The water's off," Fuji informed him, reaching for another.

"What?" Tezuka had stopped mid-chew, and was gazing at the tensai in disbelief. Fuji nodded.

"They must've cut off the city's supply." He sighed. "Clever move."

"Mm," Tezuka nodded, his thoughts racing. They would have to find a water supply, quickly. Had anyone bothered to pack liquids when they had left the warehouse? Had the others discovered the lack of water, panicked, and run off, leaving him and Fuji behind?

"Are we going back to the others tonight?" Fuji asked between swallows.

"If the opportunity presents itself," Tezuka replied shakily.

"It'll be dark soon," Fuji speculated, glancing outside.

"If all continues to go well, we can leave around eleven."

"Do you have a watch?"

"Yes." Tezuka pulled back the sleeve of his dark sweatshirt, revealing a thin, digital watch.

"That's good."

"Ah... What do you know about the United Nations, Fuji?" Tezuka asked. His tone had changed considerably, the tensai noted.

"Not much," he admitted, sighing.

"Ah."

"They.. I mean, why us? Of all countries to suddenly invade, why choose Japan?" Tezuka was silent, indicating his lack of a valid response.

"We concerns me most," he said finally, his voice slow, "is that they seem dead set on eliminating everyone - even children."

"Mm," Fuji agreed, nodding.

The room had grown dark as they conversed, and the house was now completely void of light. The streets were equally black, with only the faint glow of the crescent moon illuminating what was left of the city.

"We best set off soon," Tezuka announced, rising. "I don't know how long the trip will take."

"I'm all ready," Fuji replied. "I packed a few more jars of plums in there-" he pointed to a sack in the corner of the room, "-and I can walk, so you don't have to worry about me falling behind." He smiled, and Tezuka nodded, his lips slowly curving into a silent retribution.

"Let's go, then. Out the back door."

--

Fuji stepped outside and instantly drew a long breath. The night air was cold, and his thin, long-sleeved shirt and athletic shorts did little to stop the wind from ripping through him. Giving an involuntary shiver, he took another step toward the street, waiting for Tezuka to follow. The captain's footsteps were close behind him, and with a silent nod, Tezuka swept by, grabbing the tensai's hand and pulling him along with him. Fuji smiled into the darkness, Tezuka's warmth spreading through him like a forest fire.

The streets were as empty and silent as both boys had expected. Any sound had them on their toes, and several times they had taken off running, only to discover they had merely been alerted by the wind.

"It's rather strange with it's quiet like this, ne, Tezuka?" Fuji commented as they ducked into a thin alley.

"Ah, it's-"

"What was that?" Fuji interrupted, his back straight, eyes shining with fear.

"I didn't-"

"Shh. Listen."

Tezuka fell silent, but the loud thumping of his heart resonated in his ears.

"I-"

"There it is!"

It was a small sound, a tiny clinking farther down the alley. Tezuka would have immediately dismissed it as another false alarm raised by the presence of the wind, but the air was completely still. Rising slowly, he motioned for Fuji to stay put as he advanced down the alley. A soft breath on the back of his neck told him that despite his orders, the tensai had followed. As they inched down the dark street, the sound grew louder and more incessant. Tezuka took one final step, hands ready to deflect anything that came his way when he heard a soft chuckle from behind him. Turning quickly, he watched in shock and disgusted amusement as his companion bent down and lifted up a large, metal canister. Something dark and furry dashed out, crashing straight into Tezuka's shins. With a grunt, he knelt and lifted the creature into his arms. A cat.

"That was cruel," Fuji informed the animal, smiling gently. He patted the stray's soft fur with two fingers, slowly running his hand down the cat's spine and evoking a deep, rich purr. Several times the tensai's fingers accidentally brushed up against Tezuka's chest as he soothed the cat, and Tezuka struggled to fight the urge to abandon the feline and take the tensai into his arms instead.

"Entirely inappropriate," he muttered, as he mentally chided himself for even considering placing the burden of his feelings on Fuji's shoulders at such a time.

"What, Tezuka?"

Looking up in shock, the captain shook his head slightly and glanced at the cat.

"What do you propose we do with.. her?" Fuji grinned.

"Tezuka, you already checked? Pervert." The bespectacled boy frowned and handed the cat to Fuji.

"I simply assumed it," he replied indignantly.

"Ah, okay. Hmm. It would be rather impractical to try and keep her, yet at the same time I would feel guilty letting her go. Let's have her decide, hmm?" Tezuka raised a questioning eyebrow. In response, Fuji gently set the cat down and turned away. Gesturing for Tezuka to follow, he began walking back down the alley, eyes trained directly ahead. Tezuka did the same. When they reached the end of the street, Fuji turned, and then stopped a few feet away. They waited for several minutes, but the cat did not appear.

"I suppose we have our answer," Tezuka sighed. Fuji nodded. "Let's continue then."

The two hurried on, often cutting through houses or jumping fences. The rest of the trip was remarkably uneventful, and before long, they had reached the street where Tezuka had last seen the rest of their team. The entire area was dark, something Tezuka was grateful for, as light would have given their position away. They had to search for the house, a fact which also relieved him - if they could hardly find their own hideaway, surely the soldiers would have even more difficulty.

"It's this one, isn't it?" Fuji asked, coming to a stop before a small, humble house.

"Yes," Tezuka replied, shifting the bag on his shoulder and starting toward the building. He wasn't entirely surprised that Fuji had been able to pick out the house, as the tensai had a strange intuition when it came to these things.

They carefully made their way up the steps, looking around every few seconds to ensure that no one was watching from the shadows. When they had finally reached the door, Tezuka pushed it open as silently as possible, slightly surprised to find it unlocked. Fuji followed just as quietly, his smile anxious.

"Are they here?" he whispered, looking around.

"I don't know," Tezuka admitted.

The pair crept into the kitchen, which was equally deserted. There were absolutely no signs of life as they continued into the main room. With a sigh, Tezuka leaned against the wall, setting his bag on the floor.

"Hmm. It feels like we're being watched, Tezuka," Fuji announced with a grin, lifting a slender hand and giving the ceiling a brief wave. Tezuka raised an eyebrow in disbelief, his gaze following Fuji's seemingly purposeless greeting. He was in the process of disregarding the statement when there was a soft thud, a flash of red, and Fuji was flying forward.

"Fujikoooo!" Kikumaru cried, extending a hand to the tensai, whom he had knocked over in his haste to greet.

"Eiji," Fuji said, smiling. "It's good to see you."

"How did you know we were up there?" Eiji asked, gesturing to where the two teams were filing out of a small, square opening in the ceiling.

"I heard a whisper and some rustling," Fuji replied, laughing.

"Awww... I thought we were being so quiet!"

"It was a good effort," Fuji consoled, looking around at the group gathered before him. "Hello, everyone."

"It's good to see you again, Fuji-senpai," Echizen drawled.

"Yo, Fuji." Inui raised a hand in greeting, and Kaidoh nodded his acknowledgment.

"Fuji, glad you decided to join us again," Oshitari said, grinning wryly. Fuji grinned back.

"It's my pleasure, Oshitari."

"Wahh, Fuji-kun! It's awesome to see you! We thought you weren't coming back! Tezuka-san was so worried about you, he didn't even want to leave the warehouse, so it's good that he found you quickly! Of course then we had to worry about him because he left to search for you as soon as we settled down in this house, well, before that actually, he just dropped his bag and ran!"

"It's nice to see you, Jiroh," Fuji said, giving Tezuka a curious smile.

"They cut the water off, Tezuka," Atobe murmured, coming to stand beside the other captain.

"Ah. We'll have to find a supply."

"You should tell Fuji how you feel," Atobe continued, earning a sharp glare from the bespectacled boy.

"I don't know what you're talking about, Atobe," he replied curtly. The Hyouteian laughed and lifted a hand to his face, striking his well-known "Insight" pose.

"Don't deny anything, Tezuka. It's your decision in the end, anyway. Simply remember.. Things have changed. You could be separated from him permanently at any time. My esteemed recommendation? Seize the moment, Tezuka. It could die at your fingertips in the blink of an eye." With that, Atobe walked away to join Jiroh, who was talking excitedly to Fuji and Mukahi. Oshitari stood close behind the red-headed acrobat, a firm hand on the smaller boy's shoulder. To their left, Momoshiro sat with a friendly arm flung around Echizen, chatting amiably. Tezuka sighed and reached up to massage his temples. As easy as Atobe made it sound, Tezuka found communication rather difficult, especially when it came to personal matters. He was fond of silence, and found that actions truly did speak louder than words, in most cases. Giving a soft groan, he rubbed his head harder. Damn Fuji and his dizzying affects.

"Tezuka, are you alright?" Gentle fingers pried his hands away from his face, and Tezuka opened his eyes just in time to see Fuji gazing at him with concerned eyes as he placed a cool hand on the captain's forehead.

"Hnn," Tezuka grunted, hoping Fuji would mistake the redness of his cheeks for a fever.

"You should lie down," the tensai instructed, leading him to a quiet corner of the room. "You must have overexerted yourself."

"Fuji," Tezuka mumbled, gazing up at the boy above him. Maybe, just once... He could explain later, blame it on the fever...

Fuji gave a slight cry of surprise as Tezuka gently tugged him down, letting him sprawl across his chest. A strong arm wrapped itself firmly around him, while a gentle hand arranged his head on the captain's chest and carefully brushed stray strands of chestnut hair out of the tensai's face.

"Tezu..ka?" Fuji whispered, his voice rather disbelieving.

"Mm.." The bespectacled boy had already closed his eyes, and was breathing deeply. With a resigned sigh, Fuji snuggled deeper into Tezuka's chest. The stoic boy was probably delirious. It was alright, though, if he could rely on the notion that maybe, for a few warm, peaceful hours, Tezuka could find comfort in him.

* * *

Review? Maybe? 


	13. Day 12

Hey! UGH, sorry, long time no update. School and swimming have been eating me alive and then spitting little pieces out so that there's enough of me left to do homework. Anyway, I apologize in advance for this chapter. It's completely Tezuka & Fuji centric, as this entire story is turning out to be. I promise that everyone else will return as soon as this plot movement is over and done with and they can concentrate more on surviving and less on being adorably fluffy. -kicks fluffiness- Stop eating my story!

Anyway, hope you find some part of this chapter to remotely enjoy. With Christmas break coming up and such, I should be able to update more quickly.. Hopefully.

Enjoy, and thanks to everyone who reviewed, it's much appreciated!

* * *

Tezuka sighed. Pale light filtered through the dust-covered window, illuminating the figures of his sleeping companions. Fuji was still nestled in his arms, breathing softly. His clothes were caked with dirt and blood and his porcelain skin was marred by cuts and scrapes, but he was alive and Tezuka couldn't think of anything that mattered more. Shifting onto his back, he focused his gaze on the ceiling and began to think.

They needed water, most importantly. Water, and an area large and obscure enough to arrange a more permanent camp without having to worry about constant relocation. Squinting slightly, he traced swirls in the air and considered the options.

Anywhere in Tokyo was unlikely to provide a good, clean water source. Pollution would make that difficult, and militaristic activity would make settling down nearly impossible. Any neighboring cities were equally unlikely to provide both safety and sustenance.

He noticed with a start that he had been tracing the kanji for 'Fuji Syuusuke' and quickly lowered his hand. Casting a wary glance at the tensai beside him, he closed his eyes and thought back on his past.

He and his father had gone climbing in the mountains countless times, although they had taken trains or planes to reach their destination more times than not. They had hiked in a national park several times as well, although the name of the area Tezuka couldn't quite recall. Fuji something...

"Fuji-Hakone-Izu Kokuritsu Kouen," a soft beside him murmured.

"Fuji?" The tensai smiled.

"You were mumbling to yourself. That's the park you were thinking of, right? I've been there several times with my family. We've gone to visit the hot springs. It's very beautiful, isn't it? The lakes are so majestic. It's one of my favorite places to photograph. It's quite far away, but we should be able to make it if we walk tirelessly for a few days."

"Ah.. You should have told me you were awake," Tezuka stammered, trying furiously to recall what else he had been thinking about and whether or not he would have mentioned it aloud.

"You were thinking," Fuji replied. "I didn't want to interrupt."

"Oh."

The pair was silent for a moment, before Tezuka remembered that he was holding Fuji quite closely and Fuji realized that he was clutching Tezuka's sweatshirt in his hands and they both moved back with an awkward blush staining their cheeks.

"Ah.. sorry," Tezuka mumbled, adjusting his sweatshirt. Fuji stared at an invisible spot on the wall a few inches to the right of Tezuka's head and gave an embarrassed smile, unsure of how to respond.

"It's, ah, alright," he finally replied, stumbling slightly over his words. Silence ensued, until the rustling of blankets announced the awakening of Hiyoshi, who sat up, rubbing his eyes.

"Good morning, Tezuka-san, Fuji-san," he mumbled, running his hands through his hair to smooth the tangles.

"Good morning, Hiyoshi," Fuji replied, smiling. "Sleep well?"

"Err, yes, I think so," Hiyoshi said, standing up and straightening his clothes. "Should I fetch breakfast?"

"That would be lovely," Fuji agreed. "Do you want help?" Hiyoshi shook his head.

"No, thank you, I'll be fine. I guess you could wake everyone up, if it's not too much trouble," he suggested, stepping over Shishido, who was snoring loudly.

"Alright, Tezuka and I will take care of that." Hiyoshi disappeared from the room with a nod, and Tezuka rose, extending a hand to Fuji who took it gratefully and pulled himself to his feet. He let go as quickly as he had grabbed it, however, and hurriedly turned away from Tezuka, bending down to shake Kikumaru by the shoulder. Tezuka watched with a twisting pain in his stomach before shaking his head slightly and stepping around them to stand over Inui and Kaidoh.

Everyone woke quickly, having slept lightly out of fear. Hiyoshi returned balancing a stack of containers he had found in the refrigerator, smiling gratefully when Kawamura scrambled over to help him carry. They set the food down in the middle of the room, lifting off the lids to reveal rice, curry, boiled vegetables, and more. Oishi appeared with bowls and chopsticks, handing them out with an apologetic smile.

"I could only find 8 pairs of chopsticks... I hope people don't mind sharing." He handed a bowl to Tezuka and glanced at Fuji, who looked slightly nervous. The tensai was slowly edging away from the captain, glancing around to see who else he could share with. Oishi raised an eyebrow at Tezuka, who stared at the ground, hurt welling up in his chest. Fuji had obviously been disgusted by last night's sleeping arrangements. He frowned, mentally berating himself for being so careless. He felt a hand on his shoulder and looked up to see Oishi smiling at him.

"Oishi..."

"Tezuka, there are times when being reckless can open doors to which self-preservation does not have the key."

Tezuka stared at his friend, shocked. Oishi simply smiled again and stepped away, laughing softly when Eiji bounded up and cried, "Oishi, share with me!" Tezuka watched as they sat down, talking and laughing between bites. Finally, he turned around, scanning the room for Fuji, who was standing off to the side, his hands clasped behind his back. He was watching Takashi and Hiyoshi share a bowl, awkward smiles plastered on their faces.

"Fuji."

The tensai started, eyes blinking open as he rounded to face the speaker.

"Tezuka."

The captain felt his breath catch in his chest as Fuji regarded him with his mystifying blue eyes. As much as he despised the control Fuji had over him, the concept that his entire body could be stilled by a single look was somewhat thrilling.

"Ahh... Are you.. hungry?" He held up the bowl, hoping the heat rushing to his face wasn't leaking through as a blush.

"Yes," Fuji admitted, but said nothing more. Tezuka took a deep breath. It wouldn't do to be shaky and uncertain. In the end, Fuji was just Fuji, and whether or not he was falling in love with him shouldn't matter.

Unfortunately, his mind seemed to think it did.

"Would you like to share you with me?"

Fuji's eyes widened.

"Sorry.. What?"

"Ah, I meant, would you like to share with me... Please excuse my blunder..." Tezuka mentally slapped himself.

"It's alright," Fuji replied, managing a weak smile. "In any case, I don't know.. I think Oshitari and Mukahi are done, maybe I'll just borrow theirs so I'm not a bother to you.."

"I insist," Tezuka said, frowning slightly. He reached over and filled the bowl with cold rice and vegetables, drizzling curry over the top. He handed the bowl to Fuji, who took it gingerly and picked at a carrot with the chopsticks.

"When do you think we should leave for the park?" Fuji asked between bites, refusing to make eye contact.

"As soon as possible," Tezuka answered, gazing keenly at Fuji's face. "It's important that we prepare as carefully as we can so that we can be entirely self sufficient once we reach the national park."

"Hmm, that's true," Fuji agreed, handing the bowl to Tezuka. He took a step away. "Thank you for sharing with me. Please excuse me, but I'm going to-"

Tezuka reached out and grabbed his wrist. Fuji's face flushed red and he drew further away. Tezuka tightened his hold.

"Fuji, could I speak with you?" he asked without letting go.

"Of course, Tezuka."

"Privately," Tezuka finished, mouth set in a firm line.

"Ah... Yes," Fuji agreed, although his tone betrayed his hesitancy. Allowing the tensai's wrist to slip from his grasp, Tezuka set the bowl down and started for the kitchen, stealing a glance over his shoulder to ensure that Fuji was following. He was, slowly, looking uncertain and cornered.

"Do you see that?" Inui murmured, passing his bowl and chopsticks to Kaidoh. "Tezuka and Fuji.." His hands twitched slightly, and the viper could see he was itching for his notebook.

"Senpai, are they..." Kaidoh trailed off, blushing slightly. The only way to finish his question was rather blatant and embarrassing, and he had always been uncomfortable discussing other people's personal business, a phobia which he found completely reasonable.

"A couple?" Inui finished, watching carefully as the pair disappeared from sight. "I don't know. There is data that points toward that conclusion, yet I have witnessed other events that suggest otherwise. Those two are both mysterious and secretive, and as I'm sure you know, are excellent at hiding their data from me. All I can do is speculate, and from personal experiences... I would say no, they're not dating."

Kaidoh simply hissed softly in response, unsure of how to answer.

"Not yet, anyway," Inui mumbled softly.

Kaidoh pretended not to hear.

--

Fuji leaned against the counter and regarded Tezuka through guarded eyes. The captain looked nervous and uncomfortable, like he had something to say but no idea where to begin. Just as Fuji drew a breath to break the silence, Tezuka looked up and blurted: "I'm sorry for my actions last night, Fuji. I realize they were utterly inappropriate and most likely unwelcome advances. I didn't intend to make you uncomfortable or to violate you in any way. Please accept my apology. I can assure you that I'll never be so carelessly forward in the future, and of course, I will halt my pursuit of you."

With that, he bowed low, glasses threatening to slide from his nose as he stared steadily at the floor, his stomach churning with nervousness.

"Tezuka," Fuji whispered, and the captain rose slowly, adjusting his glasses as he looked anywhere in the room but at the blue-eyed boy before him. "I.. don't.. There's nothing to apologize for. I just don't quite.. understand... Your pursuit of.. _me?_" He sounded fairly incredulous.

"Of course.." Tezuka rubbed his forehead. "I thought I was being quite blatant."

"Blatant?" Fuji repeated, eyes open and gazing at Tezuka in disbelief.

"Ah. I know I haven't expressed anything through words, but I haven't quite found a way to phrase things as I'm fairly new to this entire concept, and I'm a fairly firm believer in the idea that actions speak louder than words in most circumstances," the bespectacled boy replied, a sense of relief swelling in his chest. So Fuji hadn't been offended.. Just confused?

"I'm sorry, Tezuka, but I still don't understand.. What is it that you haven't expressed?"

Fuji sighed. There was no way. He was obviously reading this completely wrong. Tezuka felt nothing for him, and therefore was not standing here, proud and tall, struggling to tell him that...

"I'm quite certain that I'm falling in love with you, Fuji."

The tensai lurched forward and Tezuka moved to catch him, eyes wide. He fell, motionless, into the captains arms, eyes closed and arms hanging limply by his side.

"Fuji?" Tezuka shook him gently, immediately feeling for a pulse. A strong beat pushed against his touch. "Fuji!"

His calls summoned Oishi and Kawamura, who hurried in, eyes wide.

"What's wrong?" Takashi questioned, kneeling down.

"I told him that I thought I loved him," Tezuka began, brows furrowed, "and I think he fainted."

There was a laugh from the doorway, and the three looked up to see Atobe leaning against the wall, chuckling.

"Are you going to interpret that as an, "I love you, too?" he asked, striding in. "Honestly, Tezuka, when ore-sama told you to tell Fuji how you felt, ore-sama didn't mean shock him into unconsciousness."

Tezuka frowned and gently laid Fuji on the floor.

"In any case," Atobe continued, "please do your best to bring him round quickly. If we want to make it to Fuji-Hakone-Izu before travel becomes impossible, we'll need to leave by the end of the week. Who knows what the troops are up to, so an obscure route is in order if we wish to reach the park in one piece. We aren't safe, and we won't be until we've reached indefinite cover. We are risking our lives with each minute we spend here. Despite the odds we've survived, none of us are invincible, Tezuka. If we don't want to die, then we need to get out, and quickly."

* * *

Sorry for the semi-abrupt ending, there. More action to come in future chapters, don't worry! Reviews are much appreciated:) 


	14. Day 13

UGH, long time, no update, AGAIN. -- Sorry.. But the good news is, it's officially winter break, and hopefully I'll get some writing done so I can update more frequently.

Anyway, happy holidays to everyone, and I hope you enjoy this chapter! (Sorry, it might be a little short, but my muse just died near the end, there.)

* * *

Shishido crossed his arms and regarded Atobe and Tezuka with doubtful eyes.

"You want us to go _back_ to the warehouse?"

Atobe sighed.

"Yes, Shishido. We want everyone who can walk, save for a few who should remain here for the protection of those who've been injured." He rolled his eyes. "Anyone else have a complaint?"

"The warehouse, unless it's been ransacked by troops since our departure, holds items that will be essential for our trek to the park," Tezuka announced, adjusting his glasses. "Water, food, medicine.. Once we leave Tokyo, we have no idea what, or who, we'll come up against. The only thing we can do now is prepare for the worst. We have to be quick, careful, and sharp. We cannot let our guards down, even in what may seem like the safest of situations. This is war, and anything could happen next."

The room was silent, as friends exchanged worried glances. Fuji, who had come to not long ago, was leaning against the wall in the back of the room, watching Tezuka carefully. The captain looked determined, and his eyes burned with a dark fire usually reserved for the tennis courts. Fuji smiled, a soft chuckle escaping his lips.

Tezuka would protect anyone, no matter what the cost.

--

"I want everyone to assemble in the teams established earlier, when we set off for the school," Tezuka ordered. There was a flurry of movement, and three defined groups quickly separated themselves from the rest. Momoshiro and Oshitari stood on either side of Tezuka, while Atobe, Oishi, and Shishido leaned against a wall, determination glinting in their eyes. Hiyoshi, Inui, Kaidoh, and Kawamura stood in a line before Tezuka, their faces grim. "This is how we'll travel to the warehouse," Tezuka annouced, his fists clenched. "No risks will be taken. We will have no meaningless deaths. If you are cornered, give up. Entrapment is most likely better than death. That is not to say you should surrender yourselves at the slightest noise. Travel intelligently. We'll leave in one hour." With that, he turned away, beckoning for Momo and Oshitari to follow. As he crossed the room, his eyes passed briefly over Fuji, who was watching him with lidded eyes, a small smile playing on his chapped and bloody lips. Their gaze met for a moment, before Tezuka, feeling something pull at his gut, looked away. Fuji's eyes stayed on his back until he disappeared into another room, his teammates close behind.

--

"An hour," Inui mumbled. "Honestly.. There's not much planning we can do. There's no map of the area, and no way to tell where the enemy could be stationed."

"Just sixty minutes to screw with our nerves," Kaidoh hissed, running a hand through his hair and trying to remember during which catastrophe he'd lost his bandana.

"Ah," Inui agreed with a sigh.

"Inui," Kawamura began, his voice soft. "What are the chances that one of us won't make it back?" Hiyoshi coughed, looking up with wide eyes. Inui pressed his lips together in a firm line before answering.

"To be frank.. Very high."

--

Oishi sighed and retied his shoelaces for what felt like the millionth time in the past ten minutes. He couldn't seem to get them tight enough, although his fingers were turning blue from holding the knots so tightly.

"That bastard Tezuka," Atobe spat, glaring fiercely at the wall. "Gives us an hour to get all twisted up so he can have a little extra time to fret over Fuji..." He kicked at the floor. Oishi frowned.

"I don't think that's completely fair, Atobe. I'm sure Tezuka has his reasons for leaving in an hour. Besides, we need some time for preparation. He probably wanted to give us enough to get ready, and to say goodbye."

"I'm not saying goodbye," Shishido announced from where he was stretched out on the floor, "because I know I'm coming back."

"Don't be ridiculous, Shishido," Atobe hissed. "We could all be shot the moment we walk out the front door. We know nothing about who's out there. But if you'd like to be foolish and headstrong, be my guest. I hope your death is quick, because I would imagine that something slow would give you more than enough time to reflect on the fact that you left without so much as a backward glance."

"Don't be so morbid, Atobe," Shishido shot back. "Kabaji's death didn't damn the rest of us. If you think like that, though, you_ are_ going to die."

Atobe left the room without answering.

--

"Tezuka.. An hour?" Oshitari raised his eyebrows in doubt.

"Ah." Tezuka was looking out the window, his eyes trained on the darkening horizon.

"Every passing minute is making me more and more nervous!" Momo exclaimed, running a hand through his hair.

"Good." Tezuka turned to face him. "That was my goal. If everyone has time to think and consider the consequences that could follow recklessness, no one will act as foolishly as they would have had we left immediately. We leave in thirty minutes, now. If you want to say goodbye to anyone, now is the time." He went back to the window as Momo scampered out of the room, calling Echizen's name. Oshitari moved toward the door before pausing, glancing at Tezuka's stiff back with worried eyes.

"Tezuka," he began, "shouldn't you be saying goodbye, too?"

There was no answer. With a sigh, Oshitari reached for the handle, sliding the door open an inch before turning back.

"I don't think it's fair," he said, his voice low, "to tell someone you love them, and then leave them without so much as a parting glance."

--

The room was quiet when Oishi walked in. Eiji glanced up and met his gaze with a smile, but said nothing. Oishi knelt next to him, and the acrobat leaned against his side, sighing heavily.

"Make sure you come back in one piece," he whispered. "I can't play doubles with only half an Oishi!" He smiled again, but the light never quite reached his eyes.

"I'll be very careful," Oishi replied, patting Kikumaru's head. "You be careful here, too."

"I will," Eiji promised. Oishi found his hand and grabbed it, squeezing gently. Eiji's smile grew and he squeezed back, before letting go and wrapping both arms around his doubles partner instead.

"Don't you worry," Oishi whispered, as he felt teardrops spill onto his shoulder. "I'll be back before you know it."

"Promise?" Eiji sniffed, burying his head further into Oishi's shoulder.

"Yes," Oishi replied, "I promise."

--

"Is everyone ready?" Tezuka's voice reverberated through the room, lashing into quiet conversations. Everyone's eyes were quickly upon him, as he leaned against the door frame, arms crossed. "The hour's up."

"Finally!" Momo cried, jumping up from where he had been chatting with Echizen. He ruffled the younger boy's hair. "See you, Echizen! I'll be back soon!"

"Bye, Momo-senpai," Echizen muttered. "Be careful."

"It really was about time," Oshitari agreed. Leaning over, he gave Gakuto a quick kiss before rising, stretching languidly and sauntering over to join Tezuka and Momoshiro.

Atobe, Oishi, and Shishido had already grouped in a corner, and were heading toward the door with an air of purposefulness. Inui, Hiyoshi, Kaidoh, and Kawamura followed.

"This is your last chance, Tezuka," Oshitari murmured, as he started toward the door. "Don't forget, you may not come back."

"Hn."

Tezuka glanced over his shoulder at Fuji, who hadn't moved from where he had been sitting before. His eyes were closed, and a gentle smile was playing across his face, as if it were a normal afternoon. Tezuka closed his eyes and turned away.

"Bye, Fuji," he muttered. He paused slightly at the door, waiting for the tensai to come running after him and engulf him in a fervid embrace and tell him not to go, to stay with him and be safe.

There was a scuffle of footsteps, and Tezuka turned, bearing a small smile, only to face Jiroh.

"Tell Atobe to be safe," he panted, "and tell him I'm always waiting for him! Please!"

"I'll do so," Tezuka promised. He was about to step onto the porch, when he paused and turned back.

"Jiroh... Will you tell Fuji... Just, that I.. I.. Never mind." He shook his head and stepped into the darkness.

"Sure, Tezuka-san," Jiroh replied, watching with a lopsided smile as Tezuka soundlessly disappeared to join the others, "I'll tell him."

* * *

Well, there you have it. Hope you enjoyed it!

(If ANYONE has the urge to write... A Tango Pair fic would be the best Christmas gift I could possibly receive, ever. I've fallen in love with them, and they don't get enough love at all. I've probably read every fic ever written for them at least twice. I'll even give you a prompt. -begs-)

Reviews are much appreciated.. :) Thanks!


	15. Day 14

OISMFOIMCSC. I am SO sorry. I haven't updated since Christmas. -headmeetswall- With swimming and finals and friends and family and life there has been no time for writing. So I finally got this chapter done, after working on it in little bits and pieces for the last three weeks in between tests and meets and at about three in the morning. So I'm not sure how it will run with you all... If there are unfinished sentences or random words, I apologize in advance. I proofread it twice, but I can't remember the last time I've felt awake, so if there's suddenly a sentence about the amazingness of Gackt's voice or the way I can't take Ritsuka in Loveless seriously because he shares a seiyuu with Echizen, you'll know why. In any case, I hope you enjoy the chapter.. I edited in the little flashback at the beginning to remind you what's happened, since it's been so very long.

_

* * *

_

_ "Bye, Fuji," he muttered. He paused slightly at the door, waiting for the tensai to come running after him and engulf him in a fervid embrace and tell him not to go, to stay with him and be safe. _

_There was a scuffle of footsteps, and Tezuka turned, bearing a small smile, only to face Jiroh. _

_"Tell Atobe to be safe," he panted, "and tell him I'm always waiting for him! Please!" _

_"I'll do so," Tezuka promised. He was about to step onto the porch, when he paused and turned back. _

_"Jiroh... Will you tell Fuji... Just, that I.. I.. Never mind." He shook his head and stepped into the darkness. _

_"Sure, Tezuka-san," Jiroh replied, watching with a lopsided smile as Tezuka soundlessly disappeared to join the others, "I'll tell him."_

--

"It's this way, I'm quite sure."

"No, we turn left here."

"Don't be ridiculous, Shishido, left would lead us back where we came from. Ore-sama is quite certain we continue straight from here."

"Are you sure it's not right?"

"Well, then let's go in between right and straight," Shishido grumbled, starting forward. Oishi and Atobe followed in silence, exchanging doubtful glances.

"I hope the others are having more luck than we are," Oishi sighed. "Perhaps we should have planned more carefully."

"It's not like we have a map," Shishido retorted, pushing a low-hanging branch out of his way. "We're going to have to fine-tune our natural instincts in order to survive."

"This isn't one of your ridiculous video games or mindless action movies," Atobe snapped. "We're going to have to rely on logic and, although it kills me to say it, luck." He ran a hand through his hair. "Of which ore-sama has plenty."

"Yeah, with the girls," Shishido muttered. Atobe rolled his eyes.

"That is not luck, Shishido. That is simply unearthly beauty and charm. Two virtues which you unfortunately lack quite completely."

"Ah, I don't think now is the best time for an argument," Oishi suggested softly, peering through the trees. "This looks vaguely familiar."

"Ah yes, it's that way," Atobe declared, pointing. "We've entered the Hyoutei grounds. I recognize this area."

"You recognize this?" Shishido questioned, raising his eyebrows. "It's trees."

"Some of us are observant," Atobe replied, flipping his bangs out of his eyes with an elegant flick of his head.

"Is that it?" Oishi asked, motioning toward a dark shape in the distance.

"Looks like it," Shishido agreed, straining to see. The three continued toward the building, moving carefully now. A few hundred yards from the warehouse door, a figure appeared from across the clearing and dashed into the concrete building.

"What was that?" Shishido whispered, eyes wide. "Did you guys-"

"We saw," Atobe hissed, crouching behind a thick tree trunk. "Let's wait for a while. It might've been one of ours."

Several minutes passed in utter silence, the three barely daring to breathe. The rest of the clearing remained equally still. Just as Oishi shifted to face Atobe, however, there was a slight rustle of leaves and another figure started toward the warehouse. Narrowing his eyes, Atobe caught a glimpse of longish hair.

"That's Oshitari," he whispered, rising. "I recognize his run, and his hair."

"You're weird," Shishido muttered, starting into the clearing. The three of them progressed quickly toward the building, reaching the door in a matter of minutes. Oishi reached out and slowly pulled the handle, opening the door with a grunt. He stepped inside, and froze. A shadowed figure aimed a flashlight at his face, making him squint uncomfortably.

"Ah, Oishi. Are Atobe and Shishido with you?"

"Inui?"

"The one and only. Ah, here they are. Close the door, quickly. We've had Kaidoh and Hiyoshi cover the windows, so it's alright to use flashlights. Here, take these." He handed them each a small, black tube. "You twist the bottom to illuminate them," he explained, demonstrating with his own light. Oishi, Atobe, and Shishido followed his example.

"Don't worry about wasting the battery," Inui said, turning back to the shelves, "we have plenty."

"Okay. Is everyone else already here?"

"Yes. You three certainly took your time arriving."

"Tezuka!"

"Hn."

"Sorry," Oishi apologized, "we got a little lost."

"Obviously," Tezuka replied. "The three of you will gather miscellaneous items. Work together to ensure that you don't all pack the same things. You have three bags to fill. Food, medicine, and basic necessities are being taken care of. You should collect useful electronics, spare blankets, overcoats, and other etceteras. Clear?"

"Crystal," Atobe drawled, catching the bag Tezuka tossed to him. He wandered off, Oishi and Shishido at his heels.

Tezuka shook his head slightly, before remembering Jiroh's request.

"Atobe."

The silver-haired captain turned back to him, eyebrow raised.

"Jiroh asked for me to tell you to be safe, and that he will always be waiting for you," Tezuka said, slightly awkwardly.

"Did he," Atobe murmured, smiling slightly. "Well, I hope you gave him a message for Fuji in return," he said, chuckling softly. Tezuka frowned.

"Go pack, Atobe."

"Of course, of course."

--

The pile of carefully weighted bags grew steadily as the group of ten continued to meticulously pack their way through the warehouse's stores. No one spoke, aside from whispered questions about the number of ace bandages to throw in or whether or not spare shoes would be needed. Hours passed, and slowly but surely, the supplies began to thin and when the last bag was tossed in with the rest, the sky had been dyed a faded lavender.

"I didn't expect it to take this long," Inui admitted.

"Do you think we should stay here until it gets darker?" Momoshiro asked, running a hand through his hair anxiously.

"It'll be really difficult to keep to the shadows with all these bags... Really difficult."

"That would probably be wise," Inui agreed. "Tezuka, Atobe, are you two in agreement?"

The pair nodded simultaneously, exchanging a brief glance.

"Excellent. Then we'll lie low here until dusk," Inui concluded, adjusting his glasses.

"Do you think the others will be worried?" Kawamura asked, shoving his hands in his pockets. "I mean, we didn't tell them how long we'd be."

"I'm sure they'll understand," Oishi replied.

"At any rate, they know to stay where they are, so the worst that can happen is that we return to a few tearful faces," Shishido said, shrugging. "Can we sit down or something? We're going to be here for a while, after all." He sank to the floor, sprawling out across the cool, concrete floor. "Ahh, I'm so tired."

"You can sleep," Tezuka said, watching him apprehensively. "Anyone who is tired can sleep. We'll take turns keeping watch."

"I wouldn't mind a brief nap," Oshitari admitted, sinking down next to Shishido. "This has all been rather exhausting."

Momo yawned and nodded in silent agreement, pulling off his jacket and bundling it into a makeshift pillow. Kawamura smiled shyly.

"You don't mind if I..."

"Not at all, Kawamura," Tezuka said, offering him a small smile. "You've worked hard." Kawamura grinned in return.

"Thanks, Tezuka."

The four quickly fell asleep, their rhythmic breathing emphasizing the silence that settled over the six who remained awake.

"Fuji-Hakone-Izu," Atobe murmured.

"I remember visiting the Shiraito Waterfall once, with my family. I was eight. We went to see the leaves after they'd changed colors," Kaidoh recalled.

"I've been there a few times, too," Oishi said, smiling rather sadly. "It'll be strange to return under such different circumstances."

Tezuka nodded rather absently, suddenly remembering the photograph he'd seen on Fuji's dresser no more than two weeks ago. The young tensai had his arm around Yuuta and was standing in a field, Mount Fuji rising majestically in the background. The two of them had looked so happy and fearless. It was then that Tezuka realized, with a jolt, that Fuji was truly as fragile as he appeared. On the courts, he was something else, an unstoppable force who could extinguish the brightest of flames without breaking a sweat. On the other side of a gun, he was a feebly beating heart and slender expanse of skin. Tezuka had forgotten, in his entirety, that there were games Fuji wasn't the master of.

* * *

I'll do my best to update more quickly in the future. Swimming's over now, so hopefully I'll have a bit more free time. Reviews are, of course, loved... As are Tango Pair fics! ;) 


	16. Day 15

It seems that some unnamed force is rather opposed to the idea of me regularly updating this story. Time to write is continuously snatched away from me, which eventually results in choppy chapters that lack the fluidity and substance I hope for. So I can only offer my sincerest apologies for this chapter. It's been written over the course of who knows how long, and, for the moment, it's the best I can offer, and I just figured that's probably far better than nothing. In any case, I hope it's at least somewhat satisfying. I'm going to estimate that there will probably be around 30 chapters total for this piece, so things will start moving again soon.. 

Expect an update within two to three (ughhhh) weeks... Bleh.

And I'm sorry about having to put in the gross thick line breaks between scene breaks. I usually just have the two dashes, but for some reason, the system edited them out every time I tried to put them in. I tried everything from little squiggles to parentheses, but nothing works. And since I couldn't stand to have a word between paragraphs, I had to resort to line breaks. I'll try to edit that in the future. 

* * *

With Shishido, Oshitari, Kawamura, and Momoshiro asleep, the rest of the group slowly split up, each taking to their own private sector of the warehouse. Inui and Kaidoh wandered off together, talking in low voices. Hiyoshi hovered by the sleeping group, his hazel eyes flitting nervously from relaxed face to relaxed face, wondering briefly how they could sleep so peacefully. It made him nervous that they were so unaware of the lengthening shadows around them. Each disfigured image could be another soldier, lying in wait between the iron shelves, poised to kill without a second thought. Their families, friends, and rivals could all be dead, or worse, suffering at the hands of the enemy. 

"I'm scared," he whispered to no one in particular. It felt surprisingly good to admit it, too. He had always been determined to take down those above him no matter what the risk may be, but that random admission of vulnerability was like coming to terms with everything that was. With a sigh, Hiyoshi sank down beside Kawamura's sleeping figure. There was something comforting about the other boy, and for now, he was content to watch the shadows quiver in time with the deep breaths of his slumbering companions.

* * *

"Fuji-san," Jiroh whispered, crouching beside the blue-eyed boy, "are you awake?"

"Of course," Fuji replied, turning to him with a smile. "Feel free to sleep, I'll make sure everything is safe."

"I don't think you can do that alone," Jiroh countered, letting his knees give out and falling to the ground beside Fuji, leaning his back on the cold wall. 

"Maybe not," Fuji agreed quietly, examining his hands in the moonlight.

"I think Tezuka-san had something to say to you before he left," Jiroh said, after a moment's silence. Fuji turned to look at him with a closed-off face, his smile firmly in place.

"Really, did he tell you so?" Jiroh nodded.

"Yep. He didn't say what, of course. Since it was meant for you," he added. "But I think it was quite important." Fuji simply hummed in response, lacing his fingers together and resting his hands on his knees. Jiroh settled into silence as well, his thoughts drifting from Tezuka to Atobe. A smile slowly spread across his face as he thought of his arrogant captain, and he closed his eyes, hoping with all of his might that everyone returned safely in the morning.

* * *

_"I'm quite certain that I'm falling in love with you, Fuji."_

Tezuka sighed and fingered the strap of one of the many bags they had packed. 

_Quite certain._

That, he knew now, was a lie. There was no more doubt in his mind. He was in love with someone he had once considered one of his best friends. 

What he was now remained a mystery. Fuji had fainted, whether in response to his confession or out of exhaustion Tezuka did not know. But either way, there had been no definite answer, and for all he knew, Fuji was utterly disgusted with the mere thought that another boy, and Tezuka Kunimitsu no less, was in love with him. But no matter how hard his rational side tried to stamp it out, Tezuka could not ignore the tiny flame of hope that tugged on the edges of his heart and whispered, "_But he loves you back."_

* * *

Inui sighed and glanced up at the small, rectangular window situated several feet below the roof of the warehouse. It was certainly ideal for preventing intruders. He glanced down at his watch, sighing as "2:07" was reflected back at him, sickly illuminated by the pale indigo glow of the digital face.

"You should learn to be more patient, senpai," Kaidoh mumbled from where he was leaning against the wall, gazing up at Inui with dark, unreadable eyes. 

"It's a virtue that I unfortunately lack," Inui replied, sitting beside him. Kaidoh remained silent. "Are you lonely, Kaidoh?" Inui asked suddenly, turning to gaze at his training mate and friend with curious eyes.

"Not when I'm with you," Kaidoh replied. "Not when I'm with my family." He paused for a moment, before shaking his head. "No, I'm not really lonely, Inui-senpai. Are you?"

"Sometimes," Inui admitted. "To be honest, I think my birth was somewhat accidental. My parents are active scientists. They don't have time for a son. They hardly have time for each other. And there's only so much time data gathering and computing can take up. So when I have a few hours to myself, I often find that the time is spent wallowing in self pity." He chuckled, glancing back at Kaidoh, who looked surprisingly serious. 

"Senpai," he said, frowning, "the next time you're lonely, you can call me. I don't do much, and once everything is back to normal, you can meet my family. They'll like you. They like anyone that bothers to be my friend," he admitted shyly. Inui smiled and snaked an arm around Kaidoh's shoulders, pulling him close. 

"How about people that bother being your boyfriend?" he asked tentatively, unsure of what to expect as a response. The data he could pull from his mind suggested there was a 40 percent chance of a positive reaction to the idea of becoming an item. However, there was also a 15 percent chance that after taking this sort of risk, Kaidoh would never speak to him again. 

"Inui-senpai," Kaidoh whispered, eyes wide. "My _what?"_

"Boyfriend," Inui repeated, gazing intently at Kaidoh's distraught face. 

"I... don't know," Kaidoh said slowly. "They will probably try to uncover whether or not you have good intentions as politely as possible before passing judgement." Inui looked momentarily confused. 

"Is that a yes?" he asked, cocking his head to the side. Kaidoh nodded slowly, blushing a rather dangerous shade of red. Inui broke into one of the biggest and most genuine smiles Kaidoh had ever seen and leaned forward, capturing his lips in a soft, unassuming kiss. It took a moment, but soon enough, Kaidoh was moving his lips against Inui's. When they finally broke away, Inui was blushing too, but his smile had spread. "I'm going to have to start a new notebook," he muttered, mostly to himself. Kaidoh snorted, and Inui glanced up.

"You're grinning like an idiot, senpai," Kaidoh informed him, smiling slightly. 

"Am I?" Inui mused, rubbing his chin in thought. "Yes, a new notebook will certainly be necessary." He chuckled. "You're an amazing kisser, Kaidoh Kaoru!" Kaidoh scowled and gave his senpai a sound punch in the chest. 

"Shut up, senpai."

* * *

"We should be able to leave in fifteen minutes or so," Tezuka announced, glancing around at the group gathered before him. The sun had disappeared behind the hills twenty or so minutes ago, and on Tezuka's request, Hiyoshi had set about waking up the sleeping quartet while Tezuka rounded up the rest of the group. "As I'm sure all of you know, the trip will not be a walk in the park." Oshitari snorted. "No pun intended," Tezuka continued dryly, adjusting his glasses. "The most important thing right now, however, is reaching everyone else safely. Everyone will take two or three packs for now. They will be fairly divided back at the house before we set off. If you are seen, drop everything and run. Your lives are far more valuable than whatever is in the bags you are carrying. I will not have anymore deaths. Clear?"

"Crystal," Atobe drawled, stretching. 

"Good." Tezuka tossed three of the black bags at Atobe, unable to suppress the slight satisfaction of watching the narcissist begrudgingly lift the bags onto his back. The rest of the packs were quickly distributed, and as the group gathered by the door, complete darkness had enveloped the grounds, for the moon was hidden by a thick layer of clouds. 

"67 chance of rain, judging by the appearance of the cloud layer," Inui mused, shifting his bags higher onto his shoulders. 

"All the more motivation to run quickly," Tezuka replied, gazing around the grounds. "Everything appears clear. Momoshiro, Oshitari, you two come with me. We'll depart first. Hiyoshi, Inui, Kaidoh, and Kawamura, I want you four to follow. Atobe, Oishi, and Shishido, I'm trusting you three to cover our tracks. Close the door and make sure nothing looks out of place before you leave."

"We'll do our best, Tezuka," Oishi promised, and Atobe and Shishido nodded in silent agreement. 

"We all will," Kawamura said, suddenly sticking out his hand. It took a moment, but eventually, Hiyoshi placed his on top, and the rest followed. 

"The best of luck to all of you," Tezuka said grimly, placing his hand on the pile. The ten of them stood like that for a long moment, before Tezuka, Momoshiro, and Oshitari broke away and stepped into the dark night. They disappeared quickly into the trees. A few minutes later, Inui beckoned for Kaidoh, Kawamura, and Hiyoshi to follow him as he stepped out of the building. The four of them melted into the darkness within seconds, leaving only Oishi, Atobe, and Shishido behind. They stood in silence for what felt like an eternity, before Atobe glanced down at his watch and sighed. 

"It's time," he announced in a harsh whisper. 

The warehouse door shut with a soft click, and as the three boys shrank into the trees, it rapidly became nothing but another looming shadow in a pool of darkness.

* * *

Reviews would make me very happy.. -bribes like mad- 


	17. Day 16

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Alright, so, I decided to update quickly rather than saving this chapter for later partly because I wanted to post this to make up for the last chapter which was undeniably substandard, and partly because I can't stand having a finished chapter on my computer that hasn't been posted. It's just one of my pet peeves. So, here you go. It's a bit of a monster chapter. Just a warning: **There is quite a bit of swearing in this chapter.** Nothing too bad, just a word every now and then, but if that offends you, you might want to stay away. I think the worst word in there is "shit." **The violence also intensifies quite a bit.** I don't think it's especially graphic, but there's definitely quite a bit of blood. This will be about as bad as it gets, though. I don't have any plans to write massive paragraphs about horribly gruesome deaths. Mostly because there won't be any. Okay, well, I think that just about covers it. I hope you enjoy this chapter as much as I enjoyed writing it. It was fueled almost entirely by super hard-core rock music. Most of which was in German. Because I find English lyrics distracting. Anyway, I'm blabbering now, but I DO hope you enjoy this chapter far more than the last, not only because it is far more exciting, but also because it is just generally better.** And THANK YOU SO MUCH to everyone that reviewed. I didn't get a chance to reply to everyone, but I just want you to know that your comments mean a great deal to me and really help to motivate me with this piece. Many of your guys' questions and suggestions have been really helpful with writer's block. So THANK YOU. EVERYONE.** Okay. I'm done. Officially.

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"This way, quickly!" Atobe hissed, grabbing Shishido's wrist and pulling him behind a thickly-trunked evergreen. Oishi was already waiting there, his brown eyes alight with worry even in the pitch black night. The three of them had been traveling in short bursts of hard running for the last hour, according to Atobe's watch. It was nearly 1 A.M. They had seen no sign of the other two groups. Their bags were growing increasingly heavy, and they grew wearier with each passing minute.

"It doesn't feel like we're getting any closer," Shishido panted, hitching his bags higher onto his shoulder.

"I'm sure we are," Oishi whispered comfortingly, glancing around. "Should we make our next move?" Atobe nodded and took a step forward. Suddenly, there was a bright flash and the ground shook intensely, knocking all three of them to the ground. Atobe felt something sharp dig into his back as he struck the ground and he cursed softly, rolling over.

"What the hell was that?" Shishido cried, staggering to his feet. He carefully steadied himself against a tree, looking around in horror.

"Hell if I know," Atobe groaned, standing. Oishi was retrieving his bags from where they had been knocked from his grasp by the force of the explosion.

_"Shit!" _

The sudden shout sent Shishido back to the ground, cursing.

_"There's a whole goddamn group of them right over here!"_

Atobe, Oishi, and Shishido exchanged terrified looks.

"Us?" Oishi mouthed. Atobe shrugged and looked around in horror.

"I don't know," he whispered. He quickly pulled Shishido to his feet. "What do we do?"

"Stay put," Shishido breathed. "If we move, they're more likely to find us."

"Unless they already have," Atobe pointed out.

"Well since we don't know for sure now, we may as well just lie low. Maybe they'll move on."

"Well we know they saw someone!"

"Just be patient and stay here!"

_"Right over there!" _

The branches of a nearby tree rustled, and suddenly, two soldiers clad in camouflage uniforms burst into sight, each holding a semi-automatic in black-gloved hands. The five of them stared at each other for what felt like an eternity, neither knowing quite what to do. Finally, Shishido took a slow step backward, and without warning, the soldiers began firing. Atobe threw himself to the ground and watched Oishi do the same. Shishido had already vanished into the trees, taking off at a full sprint. Atobe and Oishi wriggled desperately into the underbrush as bullets struck the ground around them with heavy thuds, spraying clumps of dirt into their faces. As soon as he had made it through the shrubbery, Atobe was up on his feet and running. Whether or not Oishi was behind him he did not know, but he could not afford even a glance over his shoulder. He caught a glimpse of Shishido, several feet ahead, weaving his way through the trees as the soldiers pursued them relentlessly, their bullets slamming into trees and whizzing off into the darkness. Suddenly, there was a shout from somewhere ahead of him, and with a jolt of panic, Atobe saw Hiyoshi collide with Shishido with a sharp cry. The two of them crumpled to the ground. Atobe skidded to a halt and began weaving his way toward them, when he heard a branch snap and suddenly the soldiers were surrounding Shishido and Hiyoshi, grabbing at their flailing limbs as they struggled desperately against the soldier's strong grips. Atobe watched in horror as his teammates were quickly bound and gagged and lifted easily over the soldiers' broad shoulders. The bushes rustled behind him suddenly and within a second he was off again, sprinting at full speed toward the fence, which glowed an eerie purple in the cloudy moonlight. He dove under the iron bars in a haphazard leap, squirming through to the other side and ignoring the searing pain as the bars dug into his skin. His pulse pounded in his ears as he scrambled back to his feet and continued running. He quickly reached the house and burst through the door.

"Hiyoshi and Shishido," he shouted, "they've got Hiyoshi and Shishido!"

"What?" Ootori cried, scrambling to his feet. "What happened?"

"They collided," Atobe explained breathlessly, doubled over in exhaustion. "They crashed into each other and fell, and the soldiers got to them before they could recover."

"Where is Oishi?" Kikumaru demanded.

"I don't know," Atobe replied, "I lost him a while back."

"What?!" Kikumaru screeched, grabbing fistfuls of his hair in despair. "Oishi!"

"Are none of the others back yet?" Atobe asked, looking around.

"No," Fuji replied steadily from where he sat, leaning against the wall beside Jiroh, who was sitting up, eyes wide in fear. "No one's come back save for you, Atobe."

"I didn't see any of the others," Atobe said, clutching at his stomach as he desperately tried to catch his breath. "Just Hiyoshi and Shishido. Oishi, Shishido and I had left the warehouse last. I don't know whether or not the soldiers were there because they had seen the others leave or simply by coincidence. There was an explosion a few minutes before the soldiers appeared."

"You didn't see Yuushi?" Gakuto asked. His lip was bleeding from where he had bitten it in worry. Atobe shook his head. Suddenly, there was a bang from outside, and the front door burst open to reveal a bloodstained Momoshiro.

"Momo!" Echizen cried, struggling to stand. His leg faltered beneath him, however, and he collapsed to the ground with a cry.

"Echizen," Momoshiro panted, "are you alright?"

"Momoshiro," Atobe said sharply, "what happened?" The black haired boy looked up wearily. His face was caked in blood, which had seeped from a long cut that sliced diagonally across his face. One eye was swollen shut.

"A grenade," he muttered.

"Where are Tezuka and Oshitari?" Atobe demanded. Momo shrugged, his violet eye reflecting his helplessness.

"I lost them in the explosion. We were within sight of the fence when all of a sudden there was this bright flash and the ground shook, like an earthquake. We were all thrown to the ground. I heard shouts from somewhere behind me and was running before I even knew what was going on. I didn't have time to look back."

"I understand," Atobe said, remembering his own inability to check for Oishi behind him. "Hiyoshi and Shishido have been taken captive."

"What?" Momo cried in disbelief, looking around in horror. "You can't be serious!" Atobe simply nodded. Momo sank to the ground in disbelief, and Echizen crawled over and settled beside him. "And no one else has come back yet?"

"No, just you and me," Atobe replied, sighing heavily. "I didn't manage to salvage my bags. I assume you lost yours as well?" Momoshiro nodded glumly.

"What was that noise outside before you came in?" Fuji asked suddenly.

"I..." Momoshiro gazed at Fuji with an unreadable expression as he trailed off. He glanced down at Echizen, who was watching him carefully. "A soldier followed me out here," he admitted. "I didn't want to expose our hiding place, so I waited in the shadows for him to pass me. When he was several paces ahead of me, I leapt out and managed to wrestle his gun out of his hands..." He stopped again, and his lips quivered, as if he couldn't quite shape his next words. The room was strangely silent, as if everyone knew what to expect but couldn't quite bring themselves to finish Momoshiro's sentence for him. "And then I shot him," he finally said quietly, staring determinedly at the ground.

"Momo-senpai," Echizen whispered, gazing up at the bloodstained boy with his golden eyes.

"I'm sorry, Echizen," he muttered. "It was instinct."

"It was the right thing to do," Fuji said, rising. Everyone watched him, somewhat taken aback, as he strolled nonchalantly to the window and looked out onto the street. The darkness obscured the body but something in Fuji's eyes told them that he had seen it. "But we'll have to leave as soon as possible."

"We can't just leave Hiyoshi and Shishido behind!" Atobe snapped, whirling around.

"We will be risking more lives by going after them," Fuji countered calmly.

"I will not go anywhere without them," Atobe hissed. "I have already lost one teammate, Fuji. I will not lose two more."

"You're being unreasonable," Fuji spat, his cerulean eyes glinting dangerously.

"And if Tezuka doesn't return? Will you just turn around and leave without him? He risked his life to rescue you, and you repay him by going on without so much as a glance over your shoulder to see if he is struggling behind you?"

Fuji was silent. Atobe turned away, scowling. Suddenly, the front door swung open again, this time to reveal Oshitari, Inui, and Kaidoh. They stumbled into the room, panting hard, their eyes flashing from person to person.

"There's a body," Inui breathed. "There's a body outside."

"We know," Fuji replied calmly.

"Yuushi!" Gakuto cried, pushing past Fuji and throwing himself against Oshitari's chest. Oshitari smiled weakly and lifted a hand to pat Mukahi's back. "I was afraid you were dead."

"I'm right here, Gakuto," Oshitari mumbled. "But I was afraid, too." He looked up, his face grim. "The soldiers are nearby. We need to get out of here as soon as we can."

"They have Shishido and Hiyoshi," Atobe said. "We can't leave without them." Oshitari was silent for a moment.

"Kawamura went after them," he said finally, his voice low.

"All the more reason to go out and help him," Atobe insisted.

"You can't leave again!" Jiroh cried, appearing at Atobe's side and clinging desperately to his arm. "Atobe, you could die!"

"I have to, for Shishido and Hiyoshi," Atobe replied determinedly. "Who's coming with me?"

* * *

Oishi stumbled behind another tree, pausing to catch his breath as the ground shook with the force of the explosions. The soldiers had stopped firing and were launching grenades now. Twice, he'd been blown off his feet by the bombs, his head was spinning from his heavy falls. He could hear shouts in the distance, and the sky was slowly lightening as the sun emerged from behind the hills. He stumbled from tree to tree, furiously rubbing his eyes to clear his vision. Suddenly, someone grabbed his wrist, and with a shout he pulled back, throwing blind punches in the direction of the blurred shadow.

"Oishi, it's Tezuka," a familiar voice hissed. "Come with me." Tezuka reached for his wrist again and jerked him along. Oishi's vision slowly began to clear and he recognized the strong, broad figure of Tezuka Kunimitsu ahead of him. Within minutes they had reached the fence and were slipping under. When Tezuka turned around to help Oishi up, the boy gave a gasp of horror as he caught sight of the captain's bloody face.

"Tezuka!" he cried, stumbling to his feet. "What happened?"

"There's no time now," Tezuka replied, pulling Oishi along. "We have to get back to the others." With that, he broke into a sprint. Oishi struggled to catch up, his legs flying beneath him at a pace Oishi knew he couldn't control. He had never run so quickly in his life, but he couldn't even feel the burn through the constant rush of adrenaline surging through his veins. House after house flew by in a blur, and after a while Oishi stopped trying to keep track of where he was and simply followed Tezuka. Soon enough they were flying up the stairs of a house and through the door. They skidded to a halt in the middle of the crowded room, and Oishi immediately collapsed to the floor, panting furiously.

"Oishi!" Kikumaru cried, flinging himself at his doubles partner. "You're safe! I was so worried!"

"Eiji," he breathed, barely able to find the energy to speak.

"Oishi, what happened?" Something soft touched his face and Oishi watched in surprise as it came away dyed red. He lifted a hand to touch his cheek and was shocked to feel blood.

"Grenades," he explained. "Soldiers."

"Tezuka," Fuji said, coming to stand before the captain, who was doubled over in exhaustion. "Are you alright?"

"Yes," Tezuka panted, straightening. "Where are Hiyoshi, Shishido, and Kawamura?"

"Hiyoshi and Shishido were taken captive," Fuji replied. "As for Kawamura..."

"He chased after Hiyoshi and Shishido," Oshitari said. "We were running beside each other when he caught sight of them being dragged away and followed."

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Kawamura hugged the trunk of the tree tightly as he gazed down at the soldiers below. He was perched halfway up a thickly-branched evergreen, watching with growing anger as Shishido and Hiyoshi were ruthlessly manhandled into the back of a camouflaged pickup truck. They had both been bound and gagged and were now struggling furiously against their bonds as they lay helplessly in the back of the truck. Kawamura knew that to act carelessly would result in nothing but his own capture, however, so he remained still.

_"We let too many of them get away," _a soldier was saying.

_"We don't even know how many of them there are," _another replied. _"And neither does the head. We can go back and proclaim them all dead. No one's ever gonna find out."_

_"Unless they make an appearance later."_

_"They're a bunch of kids. What the hell are they gonna do?" _The soldier pulled a cigarette out of his pocket and stuck it between his thin lips. As he fished around for a lighter, he delivered a swift kick to Shishido, who had been struggling particularly violently.

_"I say we get these two talking. All we gotta do is find out where the rest of the kids are and tie 'em up. Case closed."_

_"Think about how long that could take. You saw how those goddamn assholes can run. I don't have the patience to chase 'em all down,"_ the taller man said, taking a long drag from his cigarette.

_"Then shoot them," _the soldier repiled.

_"Look, if the end up being a problem, we'll claim they're a different set of survivors and take care of them then. We've got two of them, that's fine for now. Let's just get the hell back to base." _

_"Fine," _the shorter one agreed. He grabbed the cigarette from between the taller man's lips and threw it on the ground, grinding it into the dirt with his boot. _"You know the smoke pisses the hell out of me." _His partner rolled his eyes and heaved himself into the truck.

_"Let's go." _

Kawamura quickly scrambled several feet down the tree. He waited until the other soldier had climbed into the pickup before lowering himself further. The back of the truck was only three or four feet away, and as they fired up the engine, he swung back slightly. The car began rolling forward and with a deep breath, Kawamura flung himself forward. He landed beside Shishido with a soft thump, and quickly pressed himself against the floor, praying the soldiers hadn't heard him. They obviously hadn't, for they continued talking in their gruff voices. Shishido turned to regard him with wide eyes, and from his other side, Hiyoshi nudged him in surprise.

"Don't worry, I'll get you guys out of here," Kawamura whispered. He quickly pulled out their gags, and the two boys coughed in disgust.

"Assholes," Shishido spat as Kawamura set about untying his wrists. Hiyoshi said nothing, simply watching through expressionless eyes as Shishido's bonds slipped from around his wrists. "I just wanna give them a piece of my fuckin' mind. Who the hell do they think they are, manhandling us like that? Soldiers are supposed to be respectful of their freakin' prisoners."

Hiyoshi silently presented his wrists to Kawamura, who quickly began fiddling with the knots.

"So, what's the plan?" Shishido continued.

"I'm not sure," Kawamura admitted.

"Jump?" Shishido asked, glancing over the side. "Probably wouldn't be too rough of a landing."

"I think so," Kawamura agreed, glancing nervously at Hiyoshi, who was carefully untying his ankles with his recently-freed wrists. He looked up, slowly, making determined eye contact with Kawamura, and nodded.

"I'll go first," Shishido said. He crouched low and crawled across the floor. Glancing over his shoulder at the soldiers, who were talking in the front of the truck, he nodded swiftly at Kawamura and Hiyoshi, who inclined their heads in acknowledgment. With that, Shishido disappeared over the edge of the truck. He hit the ground with a soft thud and Hiyoshi and Kawamura watched him disappear into a thick bush. Kawamura motioned for Hiyoshi to follow Shishido out of the truck when suddenly the car jerked to a halt. The boys froze, eyes wide in panic. They could hear the soldiers moving around in the front, unbuckling and arranging their various weapons.

"Run," Hiyoshi hissed, grabbing Kawamura by the wrist and pulling him toward the back of the trunk. With one fluid movement, he jumped over the side. Kawamura followed, and they sprinted toward the trees. Suddenly, there was a shout, and a gunshot rang out. Hiyoshi watched in horror as Kawamura stumbled beside him, suddenly dropping to his knees. He looked up, making desperate eye contact with Hiyoshi.

"Keep going," he panted. "Get away safely!" Hiyoshi stared at him, eyes wide. Kawamura had placed a hand on his stomach, and blood was beginning to seep between his fingers. "Come on, Hiyoshi, go!" The footsteps of the soldiers were approaching rapidly, and Hiyoshi took a step backward.

"I'll come back," he promised, before disappearing into the trees. Kawamura closed his eyes and let himself sink to the ground, surrendering wholly to the pain as the soldiers broke through the trees and grabbed him roughly by the arms.

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Reviews are loved! (And sorry about all of the little line breaks here. My computer went a little crazy.)

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	18. Day 17

Sorry for the delayed update.. Just as I thought things were calming down, I was hit with a wave of homework and extra curricular conferences and such. Thanks to everyone who reviewed last time, I really appreciate it. I hope you enjoy this chapter! It's certainly not my best work, but I was really struggling with this, and I think this was my best version.

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Kawamura groaned as his eyes slowly flickered open. Everything was blurry; splotches of light and dark that shimmered with movement. There was a dull whine of voices somewhere in the background. He blinked again and tried to sit up, but was quickly forced back down by a searing pain in his side. He glanced down, his vision slowly clearing, and gazed in confusion at his bloodstained shirt. He reached down and curiously pressed his fingers to the fabric, cringing as the dulling pain soared once more. He lay back, staring at the ceiling.

"Ah, you're awake," someone said, and Kawamura looked around, searching for the source of the accented Japanese. He finally caught sight of a tall, dark-haired man standing several feet away from where he lay, wearing a long white lab coat and thinly-rimmed glasses. The man took a step forward, and Kawamura felt himself instinctively shrink away. "Don't worry," the man chuckled, "I won't hurt you. I just need you to answer some questions."

--

The sun was rising again, Kikumaru noted. He had no idea how long this nightmare had been going on, but it was growing oddly tedious. He was tired of waking to fear, unrest, uncertainty. He wanted to go back to playing tennis with Oishi and eating ice cream with Momo and Echizen. He wanted to pass notes with Fuji in class and taste the freshness of a new tube of toothpaste. He wanted to come out of the locker room, his racket slung over his shoulder, and hear Kawamura's cries of "Burning!" as tennis balls soared over the nets. He sighed and slipped his hands under his head, staring at the ceiling. Someone stirred several feet away from him, and he watched silently as Ootori sat up, running a hand through his hair, his fingers wrapping subconsciously around the silver cross that hung around his neck. His right hand left his hair and swept across his cheeks, brushing away tiny tears. Kikumaru sat up and made his way over to Ootori, who glanced up at him. Without a word, Kikumaru wrapped an arm around the taller boy's shoulders and simply sat beside him. Ootori sniffed once before slowly smiling.

"Thanks, Kikumaru-san," he said softly. Eiji smiled back.

"You know what I think, Ootori?" he asked, directing his gaze out the window, where the sun was slowly climbing out from behind the hills. "I think everything is going to be okay in the end," he said. Ootori nodded.

"I hope so," he agreed. He sighed. "I suppose I'm just a bit worried about Shishido-san," he confessed. "And Hiyoshi and Kawamura-san, of course." Kikumaru nodded.

"We all are," he said. "But we just have to believe in them. They can make it."

--

Shishido grabbed a branch and heaved himself several feet higher before glancing down at Hiyoshi.

"You okay?" he called softly. Hiyoshi nodded and stepped carefully onto a thick branch.

"Can you see anything?" he asked. Shishido shook his head.

"Not high enough," he said, reaching for the next limb. Hiyoshi climbed after him, the sharp pine needles scratching at his skin. His face was sticky with blood and one eye was swollen shut, making the ascent quite difficult. Above him, Shishido was struggling to find branches strong enough to support his weight as he neared the top of the tree. He wrapped his arm around the thickest tree limb he could find and swung himself forward, bringing his head out of the branches to gaze out over the land before him. The sea of trees stopped rather abruptly not more than three or four miles away, where it gave way to the outskirts of the city. To the far right, he could see the remains of his school, silhouetted against the red sky. To the left... He suddenly spotted a small, white, tent-like building, barely poking through the trees.

"Hey, I think I see something!" Shishido cried, glancing down at Hiyoshi, who was waiting a foot or so below him. "It looks promising, anyway."

"Which direction?" Hiyoshi asked.

"Leftish," Shishido replied. "Not too far. A mile or so." Hiyoshi nodded and began scrambling down the tree. The pair landed on solid ground mere minutes later, panting and sweaty from their quick descent. After a moment's rest, they took off jogging in the direction Shishido guessed was right.

"D'you think he's okay?" Shishido asked between labored breaths. Hiyoshi nodded and kept running. "I wish we had weapons," Shishido muttered. "I wouldn't mind an AK-47. Hell, I'd be fine with a handgun. Anything that fires."

"Use your hands," Hiyoshi replied, ducking under a low-hanging branch.

"I don't know how well that's going to work in the face of some huge-ass semi-automatic," Shishido said dryly. Hiyoshi shrugged.

"If you're mad enough," he replied. Shishido twisted his mouth into a grim smile.

"Oh, believe me. If anger could kill, not one of those bastard soldiers would still be breathing."

--

"You're making this unnecessarily difficult," the man informed Kawamura. He had been asking the same question for the past thirty minutes, but with no response. The young boy remained completely silent. "The sooner you tell me where your friends are, the sooner we can help all of you out of this mess," he pressed, pushing his glasses up the bridge of his nose. Kawamura simply stared straight at the ceiling. The doctor scowled and took a step forward, thrusting his face into Takashi's. "Listen, kid. I've put up with you for far too long now. Answer my questions, or the moment we find your friends, we'll shoot them all dead." He pulled back, smirking. "Now, are you ready?" Kawamura slowly propped himself up on his elbows.

"I want some answers first," he said, his eyes narrowing. The man chuckled.

"If it'll get you talking," he said, shrugging. He reached for a chair and sat back, propping his feet up on the table on which Kawamura lay.

"What is going on?" Kawamura demanded.

"The United Nations has deployed its army to Japan in order to control the suspected production of robotic militants. As I'm sure you're aware, Article Nine of the Japanese constitution clearly forbids Japanese possession of an army larger than a specified size. The production of these robots is a direct violation of this article. The United Nations decided to declare this a global emergency and involve itself."

"What was wrong with a verbal accusation?" Kawamura cried. The man shrugged again.

"Hey, I didn't give the order to drop the bombs. I'm just here to deal with people like you."

"Why are you so concerned about who is still running around? Who have you killed?" Kawamura asked.

"The UN made it a priority to preserve as many lives as possible," the doctor said. "Bombs were dropped in relatively uninhabited locations."

"That's a lie!" Kawamura seethed. "You dropped one on a school!" The man's lips twisted in an obvious smile.

"I'm simply telling you what I myself have been told," he replied nonchalantly. "We're concerned with rounding up the survivors because the UN has decided to take a sort of hostage-approach to this," he continued. "Your government has continuously refused to surrender various pieces of information that we consider vital to this investigation. Until those documents are retrieved, we're keeping everyone in various camps around the country. Why they're so worried about a bunch of snot nosed kids is beyond me, but I follow orders, I don't give them. Now, are you ready for my questions?" he asked, pulling a cigarette out of his breast pocket and slipping it between his lips. Kawamura remained silent. "Excellent," he said, the flame jumping from his lighter to the tip of his cigarette. He took a long drag before slowly exhaling.

"How many of there are you?"

"Four," Kawamura replied. The man raised his eyebrows.

"Four?" Kawamura nodded.

"Where are they all now?" Kawamura shrugged.

"I don't know. We've scattered because of all of the attacks. We were hiding in the trees." The man hummed softly.

"Four of you in the trees, hmm?" Kawamura nodded again. The man reached into the deep pocket of his pristine lab coat and retrieved a walkie-talkie. He carelessly flicked a switch with the tip of his thumb and began to speak in English.

_"The captive says there are four of them. They were hiding in the trees. He doesn't know exactly where they are... No. Yes, I've tried. He's reluctant to answer... No, not particularly cooperative... Are you sure? Six hours? Yes... No, I understand." _

The man rose and slipped the walkie-talkie back into his pocket.

"A search party has been dispatched to find your friends. They'll be brought back here. If they haven't been located in two hours, you'll be called in to aid the search party. If, after four hours, you have failed to find them, you will be taken to a containment center, where you will remain for the duration of the occupation. If it is discovered that you lied to me here, you will be put on trial, and appropriate charges will be pressed. Because this is an official state of emergency, our search party has been granted permission to open fire on your companions should they approach the soldiers in a malicious or threatening manner." He took a step toward the door. "I will be back in two hours, either to inform you of your companions' successful location, or to induct you into the search." With that, he slipped out of the room. Kawamura heard the door click shut and then lock behind him. With a long sigh, he leaned back against the table and closed his eyes.

--

Shishido and Hiyoshi approached the tent-like building carefully, their senses fully alert. A clump of trucks much like the one they had traveled in earlier sat several feet away, and they could see a group of soldiers talking and laughing near a door. Shishido motioned toward the trucks and dropped to the ground. He began crawling toward the automobiles, pausing every now and then to listen and fully absorb his surroundings. Hiyoshi followed suit. They quickly reached the trucks. Shishido rose and peeked into a window. His eyes widened and he turned to Hiyoshi, a slow smile spreading across his face.

"Wait here," he mouthed. Hiyoshi nodded and crawled under the truck, pulling his knees to his chest and crouching behind a thick tire. He watched Shishido's feet disappear, and felt the car rock slightly. He held his breath, waiting for an alarm, but there was no sound. Moments later, Shishido reappeared, wielding two, relatively small guns. He had several clips of ammo in his pockets. He pressed one of the weapons into Hiyoshi's palm, before glancing toward the soldiers.

"Let's see if there's another way in," he whispered.

"Okay," Hiyoshi said, nodding. He crawled out from under the car, Shishido in hot pursuit. They slowly made their way toward the building. As they approached the white walls, Hiyoshi could feel his heartbeat quicken. Shishido was breathing hard behind him. Every move they made seemed unbearably obvious, every shuffle of dirt beneath their feet horribly loud. Their eyes were permanently glued on the group of soldiers no more than 100 feet away from them, but they seemed utterly absorbed in their conversation. Hiyoshi reached out and touched the cold wall with his palm, before pressing his back to it and inching slowly around the side. He felt Shishido beside him. The hand holding the gun was shaking badly, and every now and then the metal clicked against the thick, canvas-like wall. They rounded a corner, and Hiyoshi caught sight of a door. He nudged Shishido and tilted his head in the direction of the opening. Shishido nodded determinedly and stepped away from the building. Suddenly, a sentry appeared from behind a thick pole supporting a light. He didn't seem to notice Shishido, who backed against the wall the instant he appeared, gasping. The sentry leaned against the pole. One hand rested on his gun, the other hung limply by his side. He seemed bored and uninterested, and his eyes flicked from the door he guarded to the ground before him. Every now and then, the radio strapped to his waist buzzed, but the message never seemed to be for him.

"What do we do?" Shishido hissed. Hiyoshi glanced at the soldier, and then at the gun in his hand. Shishido watched his movements carefully. "Kill him?"

"Not unless we have to," Hiyoshi replied slowly. "Let's just make a move for the door. If we have to shoot him, aim for the arm wielding the gun, and a leg. Just immobilize him. Don't... kill him." Shishido nodded his understanding. Hiyoshi took a careful step forward. The soldier didn't move. Taking a deep breath, Hiyoshi moved again. The door was only fifteen feet away, or less. Shishido was right behind him. Hiyoshi took another step, when suddenly, a gunshot rang out. He looked around, terrified. Shishido was staring back at him, eyes wide. The soldier leaning against the pole had started, and disappeared through the door. Hiyoshi heard footsteps behind him, and without thinking, grabbed Shishido's wrist, jerking him toward the door. He grabbed the handle and shoved it open. A long, wide hallway opened before them. Doors were slamming, and he could hear shouts echoing through the building. Spotting a dark corner, he started toward it, pulling Shishido along with him. They settled into the darkness just as the door swung open again, and ten or fifteen soldiers poured in, yelling into their radios and pulling their guns from their belts. Shishido and Hiyoshi held their breaths. A soldier stopped directly in front of them, but only to unhook his walkie talkie before following the rest of his platoon, which had continued down the hall. They waited until they could no longer hear the soldiers' footsteps before emerging from their hiding spot. Hiyoshi gazed around in despair.

"Where do we go?" Shishido whispered hoarsely. Hiyoshi did not answer, but started down the hall, in the same direction the soldiers had gone. "Are you crazy?" Shishido demanded, running after him. "We could get killed!"

"We have to find Kawamura," Hiyoshi muttered, his eyes glancing over the doors. Suddenly, he spotted one with a red paper tacked to the door. The rest of the doors were unmarked. "Let's check in here." Holding his gun at the ready, he carefully twisted the doorknob. The lock, which was automatic, he figured, clicked, and the door swung open. He gasped and started forward.

Kawamura lay on a long, silver table, unmoving.

* * *

Reviews are loved, of course. :)

* * *


	19. Day 18

Sorry for the really belated update. I've been really busy. But I'm now a certified lifeguard and have a secured summer job! And to make things even better, there are less than 30 days of school left for me. I apologize, this chapter is rather short, but I hope it's nonetheless enjoyable.

* * *

"Kawamura!" Hiyoshi cried, starting toward the boy, who lay still on the silver table. Letting his gun drop to the floor, he began shaking Kawamura vigorously, shouting his name. Shishido moved to stand beside him, watching nervously, his gaze flickering to the door every few seconds, as if he were waiting for a soldier to stumble in and seal their fates.

Suddenly, Kawamura groaned and rolled over on the table. His eyes flickered open as his arms came up to wrap around his stomach.

"Hiyoshi?" he whispered, squinting slightly.

"Are you okay?" Hiyoshi demanded, helping the brown-haired boy sit up.

"Yeah," Kawamura replied, nodding slightly. "What happened?"

"Shishido and I came back for you," Hiyoshi said, looking around. Shishido had moved to stand beside the door. "Someone just fired a gun, so we were able to get in here. What happened to you?"

"I don't really know," Kawamura admitted, slowly easing himself off the table and taking a few shaky steps. "One minute, I just woke up in here. I was questioned by this doctor, who said he'd return in a couple of hours if they hadn't found you guys by then."

"Did you tell them where we were?" Shishido hissed from the doorway. Kawamura shook his head.

"No. I lied to him, and I think he bought it."

Shishido leaned back against the door frame, looking relieved.

"Let's hope so," Hiyoshi muttered. Suddenly, there was a shout from somewhere nearby, and another bullet echoed through the trees. Hiyoshi grabbed Kawamura's wrist and pulled him toward the door. "Come on, we have to get out of here!" he cried. Grabbing his gun from the floor, he and Kawamura followed Shishido out the door. They ran toward the door they had come through. It was closed, but when Shishido slammed his body against it, it opened easily, flooding the hallway with daylight.

"This way," he ordered, before taking off toward the trees at a full sprint.

"What do you think made them start shooting?" Kawamura shouted over Hiyoshi's shoulder. He sounded breathless.

"I don't know," Hiyoshi shouted back. "We don't have time to find out!"

They sped through the trees, stumbling over roots, ignoring the rocks that dug into the worn soles of their shoes and the branches that slapped across their faces. Kawamura was slowly falling farther and father behind, his breaths becoming heavier and more and more desperate. Hiyoshi slowed to let him catch up, watching worriedly as Shishido's back grew smaller and smaller ahead of him. Glancing over his shoulder, he cried out in horror as he saw Kawamura fall to the ground, clutching his side. His face was pale, his lips dyed red. Suddenly, he coughed, and blood dribbled down his chin.

"Kawamura!" Hiyoshi screamed, sprinting toward him and falling to his knees beside him. The boy did not respond. He simply leaned over, letting the blood drip out of his mouth and sink into ground. "Kawamura!" he shouted again. He felt hot tears forming in his eyes. This was not happening. Kawamura coughed again and fell forward, letting his palms press into the soft dirt. There was more blood. Suddenly, there was the sound of footsteps, and twigs snapping. Hiyoshi closed his eyes, clenching his fists. This was it. The end.

"What's going on? Wakashi? Are you okay?" Hiyoshi's eyes snapped open and he gazed up into the face of Shishido. Breathing a long sigh of relief, he shook his head and gestured to Kawamura, who gave another hacking cough.

"Shit, what the hell happened to him?"

"I think he got shot," Hiyoshi replied, pointing to the blood staining Kawamura's shirt. "And we didn't notice."

"Oh," Shishido whispered. "Oh, shit. What are we gonna do?"

"We have to get him back to the house," Hiyoshi said, rising. "The wound's already been bandaged, so at least those bastards did something. Maybe he'll be alright if he can rest."

"Okay," Shishido agreed, nodding. "I'll take him first." He handed his gun to Hiyoshi and gently pulled Kawamura to his feet. The brown-haired boy stared at him through pain-glazed eyes. Shuddering slightly, Shishido flung Kawamura's arms over his shoulders and pulled him onto his back.

"Can you take him okay?" Hiyoshi asked, eyeing Shishido nervously.

"Yeah," Shishido replied. "Let's go."

--

Tezuka paced restlessly, his eyes trained on the front door of the house. It was light outside. Too light, almost.

He glanced down at his watch. The numbers glowed faintly. 1:33.

Atobe had disappeared sometime that morning. Jiroh had gone with him. There had been no sign of Shishido, Hiyoshi, or Kawamura for almost 24 hours.

Tezuka felt a hand on his shoulder and stopped his pacing. Fuji smiled up at him. He looked tired.

"Tezuka," he mumbled, "pacing won't make them come back any faster."

"I shouldn't have let Atobe leave," Tezuka said, frowning.

"I don't think you could have stopped him even if you'd put a gun to his temple," Fuji said, his smile widening slightly. Tezuka glanced out the window at the body lying in the street.

"I think you can stop just about anybody if you do that," he replied. Fuji shrugged.

"Perhaps."

Suddenly, the door was flung open, revealing a bloodstained Shishido. He stumbled in, grabbing at the walls to steady himself.

"Shishido-san!" In a flash of silver, Shishido felt himself being engulfed by a pair of warm arms.

"Choutarou," he mumbled against the taller boy's chest. Ootori drew back, gazing at Shishido's cuts and bruises with shock. Before he could speak, however, Tezuka cut in.

"Where are Hiyoshi and Kawamura?" he demanded.

"Outside," Shishido said, feeling a wave of guilt wash over him as he realized that he'd been so thrilled to see Ootori that he'd momentarily forgotten about Hiyoshi and Kawamura. "We need help getting Kawamura inside. He's injured. Badly."

Without a word, Tezuka disappeared out the door. Momo and Inui scrambled after him.

"Shishido-san," Ootori whispered, "what happened?"

"It's a long story, Choutarou," Shishido sighed. "I'll tell everybody when we get Kawamura and Wakashi inside."

--

Hiyoshi cared for Kawamura as Shishido relayed their story to the rest of the group. Hearing it retold, it sounded so unreal. The thought was slightly bitter. They had suffered so much, and now, it sounded like a cheap action movie script. Every now and then, someone would cut in and ask Shishido a question, as if they had trouble believing him. Are you sure that happened? How much blood? How many soldiers? With each interrogative remark, Hiyoshi found himself growing increasingly frustrated. Everyone here had had a taste of what was happening. He and Shishido had simply bitten off a bigger piece.

"Where are Atobe and Jiroh?" Shishido asked, finally able to get a word in edgewise, having finished describing the soldier's base camp.

"They went out to find you," Tezuka said, his face darkening.

Hiyoshi remembered the gunshot that had sent the guard running. He looked over at Shishido, who was looking back at him.

"You don't think..." Shishido started, when the door suddenly burst open. Atobe stood in the doorway, panting heavily. His face was streaked with blood, and his left arm hung limply at his side. His sleeve was soaked, dyed a deep scarlet.

"Atobe," Shishido said, rising. "Are you alright?"

Atobe didn't answer. He simply stumbled inside, letting the door slam shut behind him. He took several shaky steps before suddenly dropping to his knees. The blood was dripping from his face onto the floor, and it took Hiyoshi a moment to realize that his captain was crying.

"Atobe," Shishido began again, "where's Jiroh?"

Atobe stared at him for a long moment before opening his parched lips.

"Dead."

"What?" Shishido gasped, his eyes wide. Oshitari and Mukahi suddenly appeared beside him, their faces equally disbelieving. Hiyoshi simply stared. Ootori began to weep.

"He's dead," Atobe croaked, ignoring the bloody tears that slipped into his mouth, stinging his tongue.

"That gunshot," Shishido whispered. "It.." Atobe shook his head.

"I took the first one," he said, raising his left arm slightly before letting it drop again. "But they missed. We were running away when a soldier appeared out of nowhere. I didn't see him. He hit Jiroh."

"And you left him there?" Mukahi suddenly screeched, reaching out and grabbing Atobe roughly by the collar.

"Of course not," Atobe spat, pulling back. "I sat with him. I _watched him die._ There was nothing I could do." He looked up. "As soon as he was dead, I walked up to the soldier who had shot him. He was in shock." Atobe laughed bitterly. "There was blood everywhere. I took his gun and told him to go before I killed him. Then I walked away."

"How did you get out without being captured?" Shishido demanded. Tears were running down his cheeks. Atobe turned his empty gaze to him.

"I just walked out. I wasn't afraid to die. I walked past soldiers aiming AK-47s at my head. They were afraid of me because I wasn't afraid of them." He laughed again. "They were terrified because they knew I wasn't scared to die."

"Enough," Tezuka suddenly said. He was standing, and his eyes were burning with anger. "That is enough, Atobe."

"Shut up, Tezuka," Atobe replied evenly. "You have lost no one."

"I told you not to go," Tezuka said hotly. "But you went anyway!"

"Would you have sat around waiting if two of your team members were risking their lives going after one of mine?" Atobe shouted, rising shakily to his feet. "Would you have slept like a fucking baby and prayed that they returned safely? Or would you have done something?"

"Atobe," Tezuka started, but the silver-haired boy stumbled toward him, hands outstretched. He grabbed a handful of Tezuka's sweatshirt and jerked him forward.

"Don't you ever speak to me again!" Atobe screeched. "You-"

"Atobe, calm down!" Shishido cried, pulling his captain off of Tezuka, who watched in silence as Shishido and Ootori dragged Atobe, still screaming, away from him. Finally, he turned away.

"We need to leave here," he said softly, gazing around at his team. "Before someone else dies."

* * *

OMGIkilledJiroh. TT I had to do it. Please don't hate me.


	20. Day 19

Sorry, this update took a while again, but at least it's vaguely quicker than last time. One little side note... I just published the first chapter of my multichapter Tango Pair (SanadaxAtobe) rockstar AU, entitled "Hitomebore." I would love anyone that's interested to check it out! :) -end shameless pimping- And now, without further advertising, the twentieth chapter of Counting Days.

* * *

The night air was cool and moist as the boys stepped out of the house. The dead soldier's body still lay in the street, his face strangely contorted in the moonlight. As Atobe stepped over the corpse, he swallowed hard.

_"Jiroh!"_

_The golden haired boy smiled up at him from where he lay in Atobe's arms. His shirt was dyed crimson and his teeth were bloodstained. "Jiroh," Atobe repeated, hugging the boy closer._

_"Atobe," Jiroh mumbled. "You're so warm... I'm getting sleepy!" He laughed and blood trickled down his chin. Atobe reached down and wiped it away. Tears threatened to fall from his glazed eyes, but he fought back hard. _

_"Go ahead and fall asleep then, Jiroh," he whispered, brushing a stray strand of hair out of his eyes. Jiroh smiled warmly and let his eyes fall shut._

_"Maybe if I'm lucky, you'll be in my dream," he murmured, shifting into a more comfortable position. Atobe felt a tear run down his cheek as he smiled._

_"I'll always be with you," he whispered. Jiroh made a soft humming noise, his ragged breaths warm against Atobe's chest. _

_"Good," he sighed. "My favorite dreams always have you in them," he confessed. His eyes opened slightly, waiting for Atobe's reaction._

_"Mine too," Atobe whispered. Jiroh's eyes fell closed again and his smile grew. _

_"That makes me happy," he mumbled. Atobe simply brushed a finger along Jiroh's cheek in response. _

_Ten minutes later, Akutagawa Jiroh had bled to death._

"Atobe." The silver-haired boy glanced up into the face of Shishido, who stared back at him, his mouth set in a grim line. Ootori stood beside him, his brown his glistening with worry. "Come on," Shishido urged, catching Atobe by the arm. "Staring at some rotting dead guy isn't gonna do anyone any good." He pulled him away, back toward the rest of the group. Tezuka put a silent hand on his shoulder. Atobe averted his eyes. Drawing away, Tezuka sighed.

"Let's go."

--

Inui sighed and leaned heavily against a tree. Kaidoh stood next to him.

"I'm afraid our situation is a bit hopeless, Kaidoh," he said. "We have no food, no supplies, few weapons..."

"We can forage for food in the houses we pass," Kaidoh suggested. Inui shrugged.

"Yes, but once we leave the city..." He trailed off and reached up. Pulling his glasses off, he began cleaning the lenses on his shirt. it was a nervous habit he had developed, Kaidoh noted, ever since the loss of his notebooks.

"We'll manage," Kaidoh mumbled. He reached forward and wrapped his fingers around Inui's wrist. The taller boy smiled and pulled Kaidoh against his chest.

"Of course we will," he agreed, absentmindedly running his hand through Kaidoh's thick black hair.

They had been walking for what Inui estimated to be about four hours. He guessed they had travelled about six and a half miles. They had kept up a relatively rapid pace and this was their first break. The trip had been strangely silent. Tezuka and Fuji lead the group, followed by Oishi and Eiji. He and Kaidoh had come next, preceding Momoshiro, who carried Echizen on his back. Oshitari was carrying Mukahi, who was still coughing up blood from time to time. Oshitari said he didn't want to take any risks. Inui supposed he was scared. Two of his teammates had died. Ootori did his best to walk, but with his leg, Shishido insisted on carrying him for thirty minute periods, letting him walk only when he could barely support Ootori's weight on his back any longer. Hiyoshi carried Kawamura, who drifted in and out of consciousness. His condition was worrying, Inui mused. The bullet wound was obviously bad.

Atobe came last, alone. He was pale and his face was gaunt. He seemed less than a shadow of his former self. Inui pitied him. If he lost Kaidoh, he didn't know what he'd do.

--

"We will press on through the day," Tezuka announced, looking around at the bedraggled group before him. "The sooner we reach the park, the better. I know you are all tired, but I think everyone would agree that it is far better to be exhausted than to be dead." There was a long silence. Without another word, Tezuka turned and started off. Fuji followed, falling into step beside him.

"Are you holding up okay?" Tezuka asked, glancing down at his companion. Fuji nodded and smiled.

"Of course," he replied. Tezuka frowned.

"Don't overexert yourself. Tell me if you get tired, or if things start hurting. You were badly injured earlier. Those wounds haven't healed yet."

"Okay," Fuji agreed, but Tezuka knew he would never admit to pain. He would have to judge the brown-haired boy's condition himself.

"At this rate, we won't make it to the park for quite some time," Tezuka said after a moment's silence. Fuji nodded thoughtfully.

"A car would be nice," he joked, his smile widening briefly. Another moment of silence passed before Fuji spoke again. "Is Atobe going to be okay?" he asked. Tezuka glanced down at him, before turning his gaze back to the sidewalk ahead of them.

"I don't know," he admitted. "He's been through a lot."

"It's quite frightening to see him like this," Fuji said. "I never really thought I'd see his composure shatter."

"I never really thought I'd be in this sort of situation," Tezuka countered.

"I don't think it's the sort of thing anyone can imagine themselves experiencing," Fuji agreed.

"I just hope it's all over soon," Tezuka said.

"It will be," Fuji reassured him. "One way or another, this will end."

Tezuka glanced down at him again. Fuji was staring straight ahead. His eyes were open, as they had been more and more recently.

"You sound like you suspect death," Tezuka ventured. Fuji shrugged.

"I think we both know it's not unlikely."

"I don't like to think about it," Tezuka said, frowning.

"Does anyone?" Fuji asked, laughing softly. "I'm just being practical."

The distant whir of helicopter blades sent the group scattering into a nearby house for several minutes, and their conversation ended there. Tezuka was half glad. He didn't know how he would have responded.

--

"I was really afraid that you weren't coming back, Shishido-san," Ootori admitted, sighing. He was limping beside the shorter boy, who walked slowly to ensure that Ootori wasn't overexerting himself.

"I was scared that I wasn't gonna make it back," Shishido replied, chuckling slightly. "I guess I got lucky." Ootori nodded. "But you shouldn't have worried, Choutarou!"

"Shishido-san," Ootori said, laughing, "you know me. I'm always worrying!"

"True, true," Shishido agreed. "Not very cool of you," he added, grinning. Ootori shrugged. "Well, I appreciate it," Shishido mumbled, blushing slightly. "I mean, I guess." Choutarou simply smiled.

Several minutes of silence passed before Ootori felt something warm and rough wrap around his hand. Looking down, he gasped softly. Shishido had grabbed his hand. The shorter boy was blushing furiously and kept his gaze firmly averted. A huge grin spread across Ootori's face and he gave Shishido's hand a tiny squeeze, which was tentatively returned. There was another long silence before suddenly Shishido stopped and glared up at his doubles partner.

"Now, since I made the first move, it means you have to call me Ryou from now on," he ordered.

"I seem to remember grabbing your hand back in the warehouse," Ootori contested amiably. "Remember, Ryou?"

Shishido blushed again.

"That didn't count," he protested. "You were injured and needed comforting."

"So you aren't comforting me now?" Ootori inquired, smiling his lopsided grin.

"No," Shishido replied, scowling. "Well, I dunno.. I guess. I'm just holding your hand, Choutarou! Geez. So uncool." Ootori laughed.

"I like it," he said.

"Like what?" Shishido demanded.

"You holding my hand, of course!"

"I never said I didn't like it!"

"You just called it uncool," Ootori pointed out. Shishido released an exasperated sigh.

"You know what I mean, Choutarou," he said. Ootori nodded, smiling.

"Yeah."

--

"Yuushi, I want to walk!" Mukahi whined over Oshitari's shoulder, blowing his indigo hair into his face.

"No, Gakuto."

"Please?"

"No."

"Why not? Being carried is so boring!"

"You should be grateful," Oshitari huffed, hitching Mukahi higher onto his back. "You're not exactly light."

"Are you calling me fat?"

"No."

Gakuto sighed.

"Are we there yet?"

"No, and we won't be for another few days."

"Are we going to rest any time soon?"

"Hopefully."

"You just called me fat again!"

"No, I didn't," Oshitari replied irritably.

"You did!" Mukahi protested. "You inferred it!"

Suddenly, Oshitari stopped, and let Gakuto slide unceremoniously off of his back and onto the sidewalk. Turning around, he backed the red-head up against a nearby tree and kissed him, hard. When he pulled back, Gakuto had turned nearly the same color as his hair.

"Much better," he said, smirking. "Now, get back on."

As Mukahi clambered onto his back, he purposefully dug his nails deep into Oshitari's shoulders. The taller boy winced slightly but did not voice any objections.

"You just kissed me to make me shut up, didn't you?" Gakuto demanded, resting his chin heavily on Oshitari's shoulder.

"You know me too well."

"It didn't work."

"I noticed."

"Maybe if you did it again..." Gakuto suggested slyly. Oshitari gave a deep chuckle.

"Only if you behave," he replied, grinning.

"I always behave, Yuushi," Mukahi insisted, smiling.

"Right."

* * *

Sorry about that vaguely abrupt ending. I figured it was time to catch up with some of the characters. Reviews are loved. :)


	21. Endings

Hey. I am SO sorry for the HUGE lack in updates. But school is out now, so I have plenty of time to write! I hope you all enjoy this chapter, I will be posting the last two as soon as I can. :)

* * *

Several days had passed. Houses became less frequent and food ran short. Tempers flared and several times members of the group had threatened to go their own way. Hyoutei fretted over Atobe and Seigaku over Kawamura. Although no one could deny their progress, people became restless and impatient. And all the while, Tezuka and Fuji walked side by side in silence. Tezuka never knew quite what to say and Fuji made no effort to converse. Their only conversations were short and stiff. It was strange, Tezuka thought, as the group made their way down a dirt road. He had confessed his love to Fuji and suddenly there was nothing. No rejection, no acceptance. It was as if Fuji was pretending nothing had happened. Tezuka clenched his fists. Why?

"What's wrong?" Fuji's voice was soft and monotonous.

"Nothing," Tezuka replied automatically, before pausing. Fuji glanced over his shoulder and stopped, too.

"Tezuka?"

"Fuji, do you remember that day in the kitchen?"

"When?" Fuji asked, glancing up at him as they fell back into step.

"After the bomb. In the kitchen of the house we used as a base for a while." Fuji shook his head.

"Where I told you that I loved you," Tezuka said, swallowing hard. Fuji's eyes widened and he stopped in his tracks.

"What?" he croaked, gazing uncertainly at Tezuka.

"You don't remember?" Tezuka asked. His chest felt tight and he took a deep breath.

"I thought it was a dream," Fuji whispered. "I woke up and thought..." Tezuka shook his head.

"No... It was real." There was a long silence, before Fuji suddenly burst out laughing. His eyes shone and his smile was broad. Tezuka gave him a weak smile in return.

"I spent all this time wondering about it," Fuji said, grinning up at Tezuka. "Why didn't you say something before?"

"I thought you were angry with me. Or disgusted," Tezuka replied, looking away.

"I could never be," Fuji said, his voice suddenly soft. "Tezuka." He smiled again and Tezuka felt something warm brush against his palm and in the next moment, his hand was wrapped firmly around Fuji's. "Let's stay together, okay?" Fuji murmured. "No matter what happens." Tezuka nodded firmly.

"Always," he agreed. Fuji squeezed his hand.

"Always."

--

"If my calculations are correct, we should reach the park by late tomorrow, if we keep up this pace," Inui announced, glancing down once more at the map they had salvaged from one of the houses they had passed long ago. "We're here," he said, pointing to a thin line on the map, "and we want to be here," he finished, pointing to a space near the coastline. "It's not more than 20 kilometers."

"By tomorrow," Kikumaru breathed, a slow smile spreading across his face. "Do you hear that, Oishi? By tomorrow!" Oishi smiled and ruffled Kikumaru's hair. Everyone was talking amongst themselves excitedly. Atobe rose and stepped away from the group, unnoticed.

"Jiroh," he mumbled, turning his face to the sky. "Kabaji." It was dark, and the stars shone dimly through the thin layer of clouds. He could barely make out the constellation of Orion, standing tall and proud in amongst galaxies.

_"Hey, hey, Atobe, what's that? See, those three stars in a row there..." _

_"That's Orion's Belt, Jiroh." _

_"Oh, wow! Where's the rest of Orion?"_

Jiroh had laughed when Atobe showed him how Orion was mapped.

_"Wow! I never would have seen that by myself. Whoever thought this stuff up must have been really cool, just like you!"_

Atobe chuckled softly and reached up, covering the constellation with his hand. He could hear the group behind him, still murmuring about the park. "Tomorrow," he whispered. "Jiroh. Kabaji." He lowered his hand. "I don't deserve to be here any more than either of you two did. But to make it up to you both, I'll live my life for all of us. So you just have to tell me what to do." He laughed again. "We'll be unstoppable, the three of us. Together."

"Atobe."

The silver-haired boy turned to face Shishido, who was watching him carefully.

"Yes?"

"So you're okay, then," Shishido said. "Good."

Atobe nodded.

"You made us all worry, you selfish idiot," Shishido grumbled. "You looked like you were gonna give up or something."

"Have you ever heard of me giving up?" Atobe scoffed, placing a hand on his hip. "I just needed to figure some things out. You all are the idiots for worrying. I'm captain. I take care of you."

"We know," Shishido said. "That's why we were worried. We couldn't make it without you. Stupid. Geez." He scowled and turned away. "Making me say such uncool things. You and Choutarou." Atobe smirked and followed Shishido back to the group. He sat down beside Hiyoshi, who glanced up at him.

"Back?" he asked. Atobe nodded. Hiyoshi shrugged. "Okay."

--

They set off sometime before the sun rose, their spirits considerably higher than they had been in days. Tezuka and Fuji walked hand in hand at the front, the silence between them comfortable and light. Behind them, Inui walked with Kaidoh, speculating about living arrangements once they reached the park. Kaidoh nodded in all the right places, but Inui knew he wasn't really paying attention. Chuckling to himself, he continued talking. Behind them, Kikumaru was skipping in circles around Oishi, who was laughing and telling him to calm down before he wore himself out too early. Momo walked beside them, Echizen on his back. The two of them conversed amiably about tennis and burger joints. Gakuto rested on Oshitari's shoulders, braiding the taller boy's hair as they went. Shishido and Atobe helped Ootori walk, while Hiyoshi and Kawamura brought up the rear. Kawamura was walking now, but Hiyoshi insisted on carrying him every now and then to preserve his strength.

According to Inui, they reached the edge of Fuji-Hakone-Izu at three fifty one P.M. It was light and the sky was clear. They climbed over the gate, talking and laughing as if it were a game. They pushed through the trees until they found a trail, which they followed for another hour. Finally, they came across a wide clearing. It was sheltered by a ring of thick, tall trees and the soft gurgling of a river promised water nearby.

"This is amazing!" Kikumaru cried, turning cartwheels through the grass. Momoshiro laughed and carefully set Echizen down on the ground before chasing after Eiji.

"It's beautiful," Ootori said, smiling.

"I could get used to this," Shishido agreed, collapsing onto the grass and folding his arms behind his head, letting the sun warm his face.

"Yuushi, let me down!" Mukahi cried, watching enviously as Kikumaru somersaulted through the grass. Oshitari chuckled and lifted Gakuto off of his shoulders. The redhead dashed off, laughing. Atobe chuckled and glanced over at Oshitari.

"What do you think?" he asked, coming to stand beside the dark haired boy.

"It's no substitute for real life," Oshitari said, bending down and running his hands over the grass. "But it's heaven compared to what we were suffering through before."

Atobe nodded.

"It doesn't smell like death," he said, grimacing. "We'll be happy here for as long as it can last." Oshitari made a soft noise of agreement.

They spent the rest of the afternoon arranging places to sleep and cook. They managed to fashion a fireplace that stopped the smoke from rising too high in the sky and giving them away, and piles of leaves served as their mattresses.

"We'll be fine as long as the weather doesn't get too cold," Inui said, dropping onto the ground and arranging the thin sticks he had gathered into a pile next to the fireplace. Kaidoh nodded and sat beside him. Inui smiled at him.

"Things feel better now, don't they?" he asked, adjusting his glasses. Kaidoh was still uncomfortable seeing his eyes so clearly. "It's like suddenly, it's that much easier to believe that everything will be okay."

"Yeah," Kaidoh agreed, shifting slightly.

"What's cooking?" Momo asked, appearing suddenly and slinging an arm around Kaidoh's shoulders. "I'm starving!"

"Nothing, idiot," Kaidoh muttered. "Just because we have a fireplace..." He rolled his eyes and shrugged away from Momo's touch.

"Are we gonna catch our own food, then?" Momo inquired, his eyes lighting up with interest. Inui nodded. "I can do that!"

"You couldn't catch a burger rolling down the street, Momo-senpai," Echizen said, limping over.

"Aww, come on Echizen, have a little faith!"

"No."

"I think Momo can do it," Kawamura said, grinning. He had wandered over with Hiyoshi to admire the fireplace.

"Aww, thanks, Taka-san," Momo said, clapping the boy on the back. "See, Echizen? I can do it!"

"Prove it, then," Oshitari drawled, perching elegantly beside Hiyoshi. Mukahi followed not far behind.

"Yeah," he said, poking Momo in the arm. "I'm hungry!" He grinned and his red hair flashed in the fading sunlight.

Tezuka watched as the group congregated around the fireplace with a soft smile on his face. It was good to see everyone happy again. Things had been hard on them. His gaze settled on Atobe, who was sitting with Oshitari and laughing about something. His cheeks had regained some of their color and while he was far from his normal self, he was no longer merely a shadow in the background. Sighing, Tezuka turned away and headed off the way he had seen Fuji go. The pathway he followed led to a rock formation, tall and dark against the reddish sky. He could barely make out a figure at the top.

"Fuji!" he shouted. The figure turned and waved. Tezuka reached forward and found a handle in the rock and began climbing toward Fuji. When he reached the top, he found Fuji stretched out on the rock, watching the sun set.

"You shouldn't be up here," he said softly, settling down beside Fuji.

"Why not?" Fuji asked, glancing up at him. "It's beautiful."

"It's not safe," Tezuka replied. "And you're hurt."

Fuji simply shrugged and turned back to the sunset. He reached forward and created a frame with his hands, moving it around the scene.

"I wish I had my camera," he said wistfully. "These would be such lovely photographs."

"Commit it to memory," Tezuka suggested. Fuji shook his head.

"It's not the same. I'll remember it differently than how it was. I'll change it to make it suit my likes better."

"Isn't that okay?"

"No," Fuji said, pushing himself up onto his knees. "I like to remember things themselves. Not what I wanted to happen." He rose and stepped forward, toward the edge of the rock. Tezuka reached out to stop him, but Fuji was out of reach. The small boy lifted his arms like wings and stared out at the sunset with a warm smile. "I like it here," Fuji said softly. Tezuka pushed himself to his feet and stood behind Fuji. He gently placed his hands on the light-haired boy's arms, lifting them higher. Fuji leaned back against his chest and closed his eyes.

"Tell me what you see, Tezuka," he whispered.

"The sunset," Tezuka replied uncertainly.

"No, I mean, _tell_ me."

"I see... The sky, and it's red, like my favorite koi in the pond at home. The sun is still there, right above a tree, like one of those stars you put on the top of Christmas trees. It's sinking now, though. And I see you, too, with your arms outstretched. You're going places, right past this and everything that has happened and into the future, where you'll be happy. And I see me, right beside you, but it's a bit strange because I'm smiling." Fuji laughed. "But it really is me, I can tell. I must be smiling because you are, too." Fuji nodded.

"Thank you, Tezuka," he murmured. "I can remember that, now. Even without a picture, I don't think this memory will change."

"Good," Tezuka mumbled. They were silent for a long moment, before Fuji's eyes fluttered open.

"This is home now, isn't it, Tezuka?"

"For now," Tezuka agreed. Fuji nodded again.

"That's okay. Even though I'm not with Yuuta, or any of my family, I think..." He paused and tucked a loose strand of hair behind his ear. "I think here, with everyone else, I can make it. If I can keep them safe, maybe I can do the same for Yuuta and my family."

"You can," Tezuka assured him. "The courage you have will reach him. It will reach all of them. It's just a matter of trust. You have to trust them to take care of themselves."

"I do," Fuji whispered.

"Then it's just a matter of waiting. As soon as this is over, you can see them again."

Fuji laughed. "Mm. Just a matter of counting days, isn't it?"

Tezuka nodded.

"I can do that," Fuji said, smiling.

"We can all do it," Tezuka replied. "Together."


	22. One Step Backward, Two Steps Forward

Hey! Sorry this took _so _long, but I kept getting stuck. In any case, here it is now. It's quite long, but I didn't want to split it into two parts. One last chapter will follow this one. Thanks to everyone who has reviewed so far, and to those that read and didn't review; you guys are all amazing. And now, without further ado... The fates of the rivals!

* * *

Sanada Genichiroh sighed and pushed himself off of the concrete floor of the basement. The small house had provided a haven for his remaining teammates for the past five weeks, if his counting had been accurate. Around him, his friends lay sleeping, their faces relaxed and peaceful. He was glad that the nightmares had stopped; Jackal used to have to sit, awake, by Marui's side as he slept so that the moment he started screaming he could be shaken out of his dream. Yanagi was leaning against the wall on the opposite side of the room, Akaya resting in his lap. The smaller boy's head was wrapped in bandages and his skin was pale, but his breathing was steady and regular and he had stopped coughing up blood. Niou slept alone not far from where Yanagi sat with Kirihara. Dark circles rimmed the former trickster's eyes and his hair hung around his face in clumps. Sanada bent over and listened for the sound of his shaky breaths. He understood Niou's pain. They had both been unable to protect the ones they loved. Yagyuu had pushed Niou out of the path of a bullet, taking the shot himself. His death had been slow and painful, but Niou had held his hand the entire time.

Sanada rose and stepped away from Niou. He had not been allowed time to say goodbye to Yukimura. Turning a corner, Sanada pressed his back against the cool wall and closed his eyes as he remembered.

_"Seiichi!" _

_"Genichiroh, get everyone out of here. I'll go after Akaya and Renji."_

_"Seiichi, please, just come with me! Akaya will be fine with Renji!"_

_"Genichiroh, just do as I say!" _

_Yukimura disappeared into the building as the hum of the airplanes overhead grew unbearably loud. Pressing his hands over his ears, Sanada turned and rushed toward the courts. _

_"Everyone, into the locker room!" he bellowed, pushing Marui in the direction of the small building as he shoved past him to reach the rest of the regulars, who were gathered around the benches, watching the airplanes with wary eyes. As the group filed into the building, Sanada broke away from them and sprinted toward the main school building, where Kirihara was with Yanagi. They had been working on Akaya's English while the rest of the team practiced. As he threw open the door, the ground shook with the force of a nearby explosion. Cursing, Sanada ran down the halls, shouting Yukimura's name. He heard a call from a door and wrenched it open. The three of them were huddled in the corner of the classroom._

_"Genichiroh, you shouldn't be running around!" Yukimura said as Sanada crouched beside them. "It's dangerous."_

_"What is going on?" Kirihara whispered. He was trembling._

_"An air raid," Yanagi mumbled. "Don't know much else." There was another loud crash and the building shook beneath their feet. _

_"They're getting closer," Yukimura whispered. _

_"I'll go see what's going on outside," Sanada announced, rising. "You all stay here." He hurried out of the room, wincing slightly as the screech of the airplanes grew louder. Suddenly, there was a whistling sound, as if one of the airplanes had been shot down and was spiraling toward the ground. With a cry, Sanada wrenched open the front door of the school building and stopped, eyes wide. His knuckles whitened as he gripped the handle of the door tighter. There was a shout from somewhere in the building and, like a machine, Sanada sprung back to life, stumbling backwards and back down the hallway. Suddenly, there was a massive roar, and the building shook violently. The lights crashed to the floor, sending tiles and plaster flying down the hallway. Holding his arms in front of his face, Sanada continued down the hallway, dodging the debris. The building shook again and the ceiling began to crumble, falling in thick chunks to the floor. Sanada dove into the stairwell, taking the steps two at a time. When he reached the third floor, he dashed into the hallway only to find the floor completely torn apart. Hugging the wall, he carefully made his way along the jagged edge. He could see the classroom door. It hung slightly ajar, but looked as if it had been spared in the blast. Sanada reached the room and pulled the door open. Yanagi and Kirihara were still huddled in the corner. Yanagi was protecting Kirihara with his body, and a long gash ran down his arm, soaking his uniform with blood. Yukimura was nowhere in sight._

_"Where's Seiichi?" Sanada demanded, pulling Yanagi to his feet. Kirihara stumbled against Renji, pressing his face into the data player's shirt. _

_"He ran after you," Yanagi panted. Sanada eyes widened and he swore under his breath._

_"We need to get out of here. Let's go down the locker room to find the others." Yanagi nodded and turned to Kirihara._

_"Come on, Akaya, we're getting out of here. Everything is okay."_

_"Yanagi-senpai," he mumbled, clutching the third year's arm tightly. "I'm scared."_

_They carefully made their way down through the remains of the building. They found the rest of the team huddled in the locker room, which had held up relatively well. _

_"Is Yukimura here?" Sanada shouted, pushing Yanagi and Kirihara toward the group. _

_"No, he was with you!" Niou replied, standing. _

_"Shit," Sanada muttered. "Stay here," he ordered. "Do not move." He turned on his heel and disappeared._

_"Is he going to find him?" Kirihara whimpered. _

_"Of course," Marui replied, reaching out to ruffle Kirihara's hair. "Fukubuchou would never let anything happen to 'Mura, you know that." Kirihara nodded slowly._

_"I guess you're right."_

Sanada opened his eyes and stood. Climbing the stairs to the first floor, he paused in the main hallway. The sun was shining through the window, and in the distance, he could see what was left of downtown Tokyo. He had never found Yukimura's body. Another bomb had forced him out of the building, and then the soldiers had come... He sighed and wandered into the kitchen. Dipping a cup into the bucket of water they had scavenged, he took a long sip.

"Seiichi," he mumbled, reaching up and pushing his hair out of his eyes.

"Up already?" Sanada turned to find Niou staring at him through hollow eyes. Nodding, he offered his cup to Niou, who took it gratefully.

"How are you doing?" Sanada asked quietly. Niou shrugged and set the empty cup down.

"Hiroshi and Yukimura are dead and I might never see my family again. It kind of sucks."

Sanada nodded.

"Yeah. I know."

Niou leaned over and pushed the window open.

"But I guess we've just got to live with it, huh?"

"There's not much else we can do. I don't think they would want us to give up," Sanada said, leaning against the counter. Niou laughed.

"Probably not," he agreed, opening a cupboard. He swept the thin layer of dust from the bottom of the shelf before closing it again and leaning against the counter. Sanada raised an eyebrow.

"Just in case," Niou said, grinning. Sanada nodded.

"We need to get out of here," he muttered. Niou nodded.

"Yeah. We do. But where would we go? I'm sort of doubting that any planes would be willing to take us out of here."

Sanada didn't answer. The sound of voices echoed in the other room and with a sigh, Niou pushed himself off the counter and disappeared. Sanada heard him greet Kirihara with a, "Morning, seaweed head," and shook his head slightly. They couldn't keep going like this, pretending everything was okay. They could all be found and killed at any moment.

Marui wandered in and took a sip of from the cup Sanada and Niou had used. Making a face, he swallowed and dumped the rest back into the bucket.

"Gross," he said, scowling. "It tastes so _old._"

"Because it is," Sanada replied, surveying Marui from under his bangs. While they had all grown thinner, Marui was almost skeletal. His cheekbones were painfully prominent and his eyes were sunken in. He looked sick.

"This sucks," Marui muttered, glaring out the window. He flexed his fingers. Sanada nodded silently before taking his leave.

In the main room, Jackal sat reading a book he had found. His hair had grown quite long, and every now and then he ran a hand through it as frowned at the text. A few feet away from him, Kirihara sat, wrapped in Yanagi's arms. They were playing some sort of word game on a piece of paper. Yanagi wrote something and Kirihara laughed, the sound bouncing off the walls. Jackal paused and looked up at him, his eyes shining slightly, before turning back to his book. Yanagi was smiling too, and he leaned forward, resting his chin on Kirihara's head.

"See? English can be fun," he said softly, blowing the curly strands away from his mouth.

"I guess so," Kirihara grumbled, leaning backward. Yanagi's chest was warm. "It'd be more fun if I got rewards like I used to. I want ice cream and video games and movies."

"Oh, so kisses are old news, now?" Yanagi asked, chuckling. Kirihara twisted around in his grasp, grinning devilishly.

"I never said that," he declared, grabbing fistfuls of Yanagi's shirt. Renji smiled and leaned down, gently pressing his lips to Kirihara's. Sanada watched them for a moment before turning away. He made his way up the small staircase that separated the main room from a dark, thin hallway that lead to the washroom, taking care to skip the stairs that creaked out of habit. Once upstairs, he pushed open the only door and stepped into the large, dusty room. The floor was wood, and a pile of rotting tatami mats sat in the back of the room beside a tall bookshelf filled with all sorts of strange things. From up here, Sanada had a clear view of the city. He pushed open the window and leaned out. It was an unusually quiet morning. By now, there would usually be planes and helicopters circling Tokyo, and sometimes the distant blast of a vessel's horn sent the birds scattering from the trees. Frowning, Sanada pulled back from the window and pulled the radio off the shelf. They avoided turning it on whenever they could because they feared that the signals would betray their location, but this sudden silence was strange. As Sanada turned the tuning knob, the radio crackled to life, and suddenly, a voice, speaking clear, native Japanese, rang out.

_"This is a national broadcast. This message will repeat continuously on this station for the next forty eight hours. The Kokkai and the United Nations have reached a compromise and all hostilities toward Japanese citizens have been halted. The United Nations has publicly apologized for the casualties that occurred during their intervention and continue to express their regret for these lost lives..."_

With a shout, Sanada leapt to his feet and bounded down the stairs, the radio tucked securely under one arm.

"Everyone, listen!" he shouted, setting the radio in the middle of the floor and motioning for everyone to gather around as he turned up the volume. Their eyes alight with hope, what was left of the Rikkaidai varsity team huddled around the radio and listened as the the promise of freedom was broadcasted across the nation.

--

"Mizuki-san, listen to this!" Yuuta cried excitedly, turning the radio volume up and thrusting the machine at his friend.

_"As of today, the citizens being held by the United Nations will be released and allowed to return home. Construction is expected to begin within the next two weeks and those that have lost their homes will be provided with shelter until the reconstruction of their dwellings is complete. A United Nations issued decree will grant the Kokkai 15 trillion yen to aide with medical care as well as reconstruction. Any citizens in hiding are encouraged to make their way into central Tokyo where they will be examined by volunteer physicians and offered shelter..."_

"Do you hear this, Mizuki-san?" Yuuta shouted, grinning from ear to ear. "It's over! We made it!" He laughed and jumped up, dancing excitedly around the room. Mizuki joined in, grabbing Yuuta's hand and spinning him around. After a minute, they both collapsed, breathless and flushed with happiness. "We can see everyone again!" Yuuta continued. "Aniki and 'nee-san and my parents and Akazawa-buchou and Yanagisawa and Kisarazu and Kaneda and even that asswipe Nomura, although if he keeps calling me "Fuji Syuusuke's little brother" I might just have to..."

"Now, now, Yuuta," Mizuki said, chuckling, "he's your elder. Respect, respect."

"Yeah, whatever," Yuuta replied, rolling his eyes. "So, how far are we from central Tokyo?" he demanded, sitting up. Mizuki rubbed his eyes and shrugged.

"We're definitely not close by," he said, sighing. Suddenly, the unmistakable whir of helicopter blades became audible, as well as a voice projected through a megaphone.

_"This is a rescue helicopter. Any citizens in hiding, please make yourselves known..." _

"Let's go!" Yuuta shouted, jumping up. He burst out the front door and began waving his arms madly, calling out for the helicopter. Mizuki joined him. They both groaned loudly and jumped up and down when the helicopter passed over head, but as it turned around and began descending, Yuuta felt something wet trail down his cheek and realized with a start that he was crying. Blushing, he hurriedly wiped the tears from his face. He felt arms wrap around him and looked up to see Mizuki grinning down at him.

"We're going home," he said, brushing away the last of Yuuta's tears.

"I know," Yuuta replied, snaking his arms around Mizuki's waist and squeezing. "It's about damn time!"

They both laughed and pulled apart, turning to face the three men in uniform that were heading toward them, waving. Mizuki and Yuuta waved back and started toward them. They climbed into the helicopter, accepting the headphones the pilot handed to them. Yuuta turned to find a seat and started slightly when he found another grinning face staring back at him.

"I think we've met before!" the boy declared, scooting over to allow room for both Yuuta and Mizuki.

"You're Aoi Kentarou, aren't you?" Mizuki shouted, struggling to make himself heard over the roar of the helicopter blades.

"Yeah!" the boy shouted.

"Captain of Rokkaku's team," Mizuki muttered to Yuuta, who nodded. "And these guys," he continued, gesturing to the boys sitting beside Aoi, "are his teammates. Saeki Koujirou, Amane Hikaru, Kurobane Harukaze, Itsuki Marehiko, Kisarazu Ryo, and Shudo Satoshi."

"I know them," Yuuta said, leaning back in his seat. "Saeki and aniki and I are friends."

Mizuki raised an eyebrow.

"I didn't know that," he said. Yuuta shrugged.

"I don't think I've ever said anything about it," he replied, before leaning over to glance out the window. "This is so cool! I've never been in a helicopter before."

"Neither have I," Saeki said, leaning over to give Yuuta a pat on the head. The shorter boy frowned and pulled away.

"Not cool, Saeki," he huffed. "What are you guys doing around here, anyway? You all live on the coast..."

"Which isn't that far away," Saeki interrupted. "We were hiding out around there when we heard the helicopter and decided to investigate."

"Is everyone okay?" Yuuta asked, glancing around at his team.

"Yeah. We managed to have a pretty quiet time of things. You?"

"Well, it's just been me and Mizuki-san this whole time," Yuuta replied.

"I see," Saeki said, nodding slightly. "You don't know about Syuusuke?" Yuuta shook his head, feeling his stomach twist.

"Nothing," he replied, his voice breaking slightly.

"Knowing him, he'll be just fine," Saeki reassured him. Yuuta nodded, the joy of being rescued suddenly dampened by the thought that it could be too late for his brother... Too late for anyone.

--

Fuji yawned and rolled over onto his side, opening one eye. The sun was barely visible over the trees, and the sky was still a soft pink. He pushed himself up onto one arm and smiled down at Tezuka, who was sleeping soundly beside him.

"Good morning," he murmured, tracing his fingers along the captain's jaw line. Tezuka stirred slightly and Fuji pulled away and lay back down, resting his head on his hands. It was a surprisingly quiet morning. The usual roar of airplanes was gone, and he could hear the birds singing clearly in the trees. It felt almost like a normal morning, he realized. They could all be out camping. He chuckled softly. If only.

"Fuji, are you awake?" Fuji turned to find Eiji leaning over him. "Why's it so quiet?"

"I don't know," Fuji replied, sitting up again.

"The birds woke me up!" Kikumaru complained, rubbing his eyes. "The airplanes used to drown them out."

"Maybe something happened in the city," Fuji offered, shrugging lightly.

"I hope whatever it is means something good is happening!" Eiji cried, jumping to his feet. "I've been craving ice cream for forever, now! I'd get a triple scoop, with cherry, chocolate, and... Bubblegum, maybe! With sprinkles on top, of course. In a waffle cone, do you think? Or a sugar cone? Or a cake cone? Or maybe even a cup.."

"Eiji," Oishi moaned from where he lay, "be quiet!"

"It's not my fault I sound extra loud," Kikumaru pouted. "There aren't any planes to drown me out!"

"What?" Oishi mumbled, sitting up and pushing the hair out of his eyes. "No planes?"

"Yeah, listen!" Eiji cried, jumping into Oishi's lap. "Nothing! Just birds!"

"That's strange," Oishi mused.

"It is," Tezuka agreed, sitting up.

"Ah, Kunimitsu," Fuji purred, "how long have you been up?"

"Long enough," he replied, giving Fuji a slight smile.

"Get a room," Shishido grumbled, sitting up. Ignoring the glare Tezuka shot him, he reached out and ruffled Ootori's hair. "You up, Choutarou?"

"Barely," Ootori replied, pulling the sweatshirt he'd been using as a blanket up over his head. Shishido laughed.

"Look who's talking," Atobe drawled, stretching and running a hand through his hair.

"Hey, look over there," Hiyoshi called, pointing at a small speck in the sky. "Doesn't that helicopter have a Japanese flag painted on the side?"

"Yeah," Echizen said, sitting up. "I've been watching it for a while now."

"Geez Ryoma, if you're awake, tell us!" Momo cried, wrapping an arm around the smaller boy's shoulders. "Don't scare us like that!"

"Urgh, Momo, gerroff!" Echizen muttered. "You're heavy."

"So mean," Momo sniffed, pinching Echizen's cheek.

"It looks like it's headed this way," Atobe mused. "What should we do?"

"I say stay right here and see what happens," Mukahi said, shrugging. Oshitari yawned and sat up, leaning heavily against the smaller boy, who scowled and tugged on a lock of his indigo hair.

"I'm going to have to second that," Inui announced. "Something has obviously changed, and if this helicopter is going to tell us what's up, hiding isn't going to do us much good."

"It could be a rescue helicopter," Tezuka added. "We can't be sure. In any case, we shouldn't let our guards down."

"Right," Inui agreed. "We should spread out, so that if they open fire, we're not one big target." He offered Kaidoh a hand and pulled him to his feet.

The group scattered quickly as the whirring of the helicopter blades grew louder overhead. Tezuka stood in the middle of the clearing, Fuji at his side. They waved their arms uncertainly over their heads, and started slightly when a voice sounded from the helicopter.

"Please stay calm. We are here to help. This is a rescue effort. We are going to land. Please stay clear of the aircraft."

Exchanging a quick look, Tezuka and Fuji stepped backward and watched, eyes wide, as the helicopter began its descent. It touched down quickly, and several Japanese soldiers stepped out.

"How many of you are there?" one of the men called, looking around. The boys were starting to gather, staring at the helicopter as if they weren't quite sure it was real.

"Fi-Fifteen," Tezuka replied, his voice wavering slightly. His hand found Fuji's and squeezed. "One is badly injured and two have bad legs."

"We should be able to accommodate you all in one ride," the soldier said, glancing back at the aircraft. He turned back to the group. "We'll take you back to a medical base in the city, okay?" Tezuka nodded, and the soldier motioned for him to step into the helicopter. He did so, pulling Fuji in with him. Inui and Kaidoh followed, speechless. Hiyoshi carried Kawamura in next and set him down carefully before settling in beside him and looking around in awe. Oshitari followed Mukahi in, while Shishido helped Ootori up the steps. Oishi and Kikumaru sat beside Momo and Echizen. Atobe came last, settling into a seat beside Oshitari.

"Is everyone strapped in and ready?" the pilot called. There was a collective nod. "Excellent. We'll be there in about half an hour. You kids did well. You're going home."

--

Much of the flight was carried out in silence, because sitting down on the relatively soft seats made the boys realize exactly how exhausted they were. By the time they were ready to land, Eiji had fallen asleep on Oishi's shoulder, and Echizen was stretched across Tezuka and Fuji, his head resting in Momoshiro's lap. Inui had done is best to explain the situation to Kawamura, who had regained consciousness during the flight but had fallen asleep not long after. Hiyoshi struggled to stay awake but dozed off several times. Atobe stared listlessly out the window, his head resting on the glass. As the helicopter began its descent, those who were sleeping were gently shaken awake, and as the ground grew closer, the air grew thick with excitement.

"We're down," the pilot announced after a slight bump. "You kids follow these guys into the building, okay?"

They were lead into a crowded room and ushered into a corner.

"Wait here," the soldier said. "A doctor will call you in for a checkup, okay?" They nodded, and the soldier hurried away.

"Might as well make ourselves comfortable," Shishido said, dropping down onto the tiled floor. "Something tells me we're gonna be here for a while."

"I'll be back," Fuji said suddenly, and disappeared into the crowd. Tezuka frowned in the direction Fuji had gone and made to follow him, but Inui caught his arm.

"He'll return," he said comfortingly. "He's gone to look for his brother." Tezuka nodded slightly, but kept his eyes trained on the crowd.

--

Fuji pushed through the mass of people impatiently, constantly scanning the sea of faces for the one he was searching for. Those sharp, often reproachful grey eyes, thin lips, the scarred forehead...

"Hmm? Yuuta-kun, isn't that Fuji-kun?"

"Where?" Yuuta cried, leaping to his feet just in time to see a familiar flash of light brown hair disappear behind a bulky, middle-aged man. "Aniki!" he shouted, earning himself several sharp glares from bystanders. There was a shout, and suddenly Yuuta felt a pair of thin arms wrap around him.

"Yuuta," Fuji mumbled, grinning into his younger brother's hair. "You're safe."

"Of course I am," Yuuta scoffed, returning his brother's hug. "Mizuki-san and I know what we're doing. It was you we were worried about!"

"Mizuki?" Fuji repeated, loosening his grip slightly.

"Yeah." Yuuta nodded, stepping back. Fuji turned to the black-haired boy standing behind Yuuta. Mizuki smirked, twirling a strand of hair around one of his long, elegant fingers.

"Hello, Fuji-kun," he said.

"Mizuki," Fuji replied, nodding. "Thank you," he continued after a moment, "for staying with him."

"I wouldn't leave him for the world," Mizuki said simply. A small smile crossed Fuji's lips.

"Good."

"We met up with Saeki and his team," Yuuta said, tossing an arm around Fuji's shoulders. "They're all okay. They just got called in for checkup a couple of minutes ago."

"Oh, that's good to hear." Fuji's smiled widened.

"How about you? Who were you with?"

"Ah, I was with the team, as well as the Hyoutei Regulars."

"And? Did everyone make it?" Yuuta asked. Fuji paused for a moment before shaking his head.

"No," he said softly. "We lost Kabaji and Jiroh, and Kawamura's injured. Badly."

"Oh, aniki," Yuuta mumbled. "I'm sorry." Fuji shook his head.

"Come on, come say hello to everyone. Mizuki, you come, too."

--

They all managed to make it through the checkup within several hours. Kawamura was taken into a separate wing to be treated, and Ootori and Echizen's legs were put into casts. Mukahi was x-rayed after Oshitari told the doctor about his bleeding. The image showed nothing serious; several broken ribs had caused minor internal bleeding. On the way out of his checkup Tezuka ran into Sanada, and the boys managed to find a large, empty room where they could all fit. As they settled into the scattering of chairs, their eyes flickered about the room. Atobe found himself chuckling slightly as he sank into a chair.

"What could possibly be funny?" Sanada asked, taking a seat beside him. Atobe shook his head.

"I doubt you'd understand," he replied, gazing at Sanada with hardened eyes.

"Try me."

"I find it morbidly amusing that everyone is looking around and trying to see who's left," Atobe admitted, shrugging. Sanada gave him a strange look, and as Atobe stared into his dark brown eyes, he realized that something in Sanada mirrored himself.

"Who died?" Atobe asked softly, resting his chin in his hands.

"Yukimura and Yagyuu," Sanada replied steadily. "You lost...?"

"Jiroh and Kabaji," Atobe said, careful to keep the tremor out of his voice.

"I'm sorry," Sanada said, looking away. "You must be having a difficult time."

"Same to you," Atobe sighed. "What the hell are we doing in here, anyway?" he muttered, mostly to himself, but out of the corner of his eye, he saw Sanada shrug. "Well, if no one's going to say anything..." He pushed himself to his feet and cleared his throat.

"Hey," he called, running a hand through his silver hair. All eyes immediately turned to face him. "This;" he waved his arm vaguely, "we can't do this. We don't know what the hell has been happening in these past seven or eight weeks, and I doubt we'll ever understand completely. But all that matters right now is that we're here. We made it through. We're probably not the same people we were before all of this happened, but change is part of life. I lost the person I loved, and a dear friend. Some of you did, too. That's something we'll never forget. But do you honestly think they wanted us to sit around in an empty room on the seventeenth floor of a military hospital until we followed them to our graves? None of us wanted that for our lives before all of this, and we shouldn't want it now. As cruel as it seems, we have to move on. Put this behind us and keep going. If playing tennis is too painful, learn to play soccer, or golf, or baseball. If you can't look at the faces of your friends without remembering the ones you'll never see again, move. Start a new life with new friends and new memories. Do anything. Just don't get caught up in these two months of your life. It's not worth it."

"You want us to just give them up?" Niou asked. His voice was soft but cold. "Yagyuu meant everything to me."

"Live for the both of you, then," Atobe replied, crossing his arms. "Would he want you to give up? The two of you played doubles, right? When you hit a rough spot, did he tell you to lay down your racket and forfeit, or push on?"

"This isn't some movie, Atobe," Sanada said, glaring at the ground. "Things aren't that easy."

"Of course they aren't!" Atobe snapped. "I didn't realize you were all so incredibly weak. Rikkaidai won Nationals twice in a row. Seigaku, once. Rokkaku and Saint Rudolph and Hyoutei, we all fought our hardest and got as far as we could. We weren't weak then. We survived the bombings and the attacks and lived in the wild for nearly two months. We weren't weak then. But now that we're back, safe, we're suddenly completely spineless? Why?"

"Because we have time to think about things," Inui said.

"Then get a hobby." Atobe glared down at the group of boys. There was a long silence until finally, Fuji spoke.

"Atobe's right," he said softly. "We still don't know anything about what's happened. We are yet to contact our families, our friends... But even so, we can't give up. We made it this far, and there's certainly no turning back at this point. We have no choice but to press on. Right now, things may feel like they'll never get better, but as the days pass, that curtain will lift and we'll be able to glimpse the light at the end of the tunnel. We're not giving anything up," he continued, turning to Niou. "Yagyuu, Jiroh, Kabaji... Everyone that was lost will always be dear to us in our hearts. We'll never forget them. But in order to heal our wounds, we have to move on, bringing them with us. In order to be a true friend to someone, you cannot drag them down. Yagyuu, Jiroh, and Kabaji were true friends, and when they were living, they did their best to carry you along. So now, if you let their deaths bring you down, you are only doing them an inservice."

"I get it," Sanada admitted quietly.

"Good," Fuji said, smiling. Niou drew his knees up to his chest and shrugged.

"It makes sense," he said. Fuji nodded.

"It's almost like... They did their parts," Ootori said softly, "and now, it's our turn to continue where they left off."

"Yeah," Shishido agreed.

"Let's do it!" Aoi cried, sticking his hand out. "Who's with me? We're moving forward!"

Atobe stepped up and placed his hand over Aoi's. Fuji followed suit, with Tezuka right behind him. Yuuta's hand was next, followed by Mizuki's, Saeki's, and Ootori's. Before long, the entire group was standing in a circle, their hands outstretched.

"To tomorrow," Atobe said, smiling slightly.

"And the next day," Fuji added.

"And the next day," Ootori finished, chuckling.

"To Yukimura," Sanada mumbled.

"And Yagyuu," Niou said, his lips lifting into a small smile.

"And Kabaji," Oshitari murmured.

"And Jiroh," Atobe finished.

"To Kawamura's full recovery," Hiyoshi blurted.

"To tennis," Saeki said, grinning.

"To us!" Momo shouted, pumping his free fist into the air. "On three!"

"One!" Their voices mingled in the stale hospital air, smiles spreading across their faces.

"Two!" Fuji glanced over at Tezuka, whose smile widened slightly.

"Three!"

Their hands flew up, and shouts of, "To us!" filled the room. Momo picked Echizen up, tossed him over his shoulder and paraded around the room, laughing. Kikumaru threw himself onto Oishi, knocking him to the ground. He, in turn, knocked Shishido into Ootori, and the pair tumbled to the floor, laughing. Ootori's flailing arm caught Atobe in the face and he whipped around, glaring. Ootori was already on the floor by then, though, and Atobe found himself face to face with Sanada, who was looked surprised.

"How dare you slap me!" Atobe cried, taking a menacing step toward Sanada, who stumbled backward.

"I didn't!" he insisted. He took another step back and bumped into Oshitari, who tripped and knocked himself and Hiyoshi to the floor. With a cry, Mukahi leapt onto both of them, stretching languidly and happily ignoring their groans of protest. Momo set Echizen down beside Inui and Kaidoh so they could all have a good laugh at the ridiculous spectacle, while Fuji linked his fingers through Tezuka's and threw his other arm around Yuuta's shoulders.

"We'll make it," he said, smiling. Tezuka and Yuuta nodded simultaneously.

"Somehow," they agreed. Fuji laughed.

"Someday."


	23. To Tomorrow

Hey! So, official Last Chapter. Thanks so much to everyone who read and reviewed, I am eternally grateful. You all made this story so much more fun to write! I hope you all enjoy this chapter. Hopefully it clears everything up.

Before I stop ranting, however, I do have one question to ask.

**Would anyone be interested in drawing a cover for this story?** I am not a very talented artist and would _love_ to have one of you illustrate a cover for this. I have a sort-of tradition of printing off my multi-chaptered stories and binding them into a book, and having a cover would make it that much better. In any case, if you're interested, simply say so in a review or a PM. Thanks! :)

* * *

Tezuka sighed and folded his newspaper, setting it on the glossy coffee table before him. A steaming mug came into view and he blinked as he accepted it with a nod as a slender figure sank down onto the couch beside him.

"Good morning," Fuji said cheerfully, sipping his tea.

"Good morning," Tezuka replied, peering cautiously into his cup. Rippling black coffee stared back at him.

"Just how you like it, right?" Fuji hummed, reaching for the paper and scanning the headlines.

"Yeah. Thanks," Tezuka said, taking a long drink, relishing the bitter taste.

"You're welcome."

Fuji set the paper down again and reached for the stack of mail instead. His lips moved as he mumbled the names of the senders to himself as he flipped through the collection of thin, white envelops, pausing briefly every now and then when a certain letter caught his attention. Tezuka watched for a moment before turning away and glancing out the window.

"Hmm, that's strange," Fuji said softly. Tezuka heard a slight thump as the stack of mail hit the coffee table and turned to Fuji with a raised eyebrow. The shorter man was holding a grey-ish envelope, written on in formal, black ink. The sender's handwriting suggested old age, for the characters had been painted with a brush and in a very traditional style.

"Who is it from?" Tezuka asked. Fuji shrugged and turned the envelope over, running his finger under the seal and pulling the contents out. He opened the letter slowly, slightly taken aback by the dark red wax seal that held the paper closed.

"Should I read it aloud?"

Tezuka nodded and took another sip of coffee.

_Tezuka and Fuji,_

_I hope the two of you are faring well. All of this may seem to be a bit out of the blue, but rest assured that there is indeed a purpose in my contacting you. As I'm sure you know, I am now a rather prominent figure in business. A recent acquaintance of mine has entrusted me with some information the two of you may find relevant due to past events. It would be my utmost pleasure to meet with the both of you, as well as several other of our old friends, and share what I have learned. Assuming this letter arrives Saturday, March 15th, I would like to invite you both to my Tokyo estate this evening at five thirty. The address is written below. I am looking forward to seeing you both._

_Sincerely,_

_Atobe Keigo._

"Atobe?" Tezuka mused, setting his empty cup down on the table and reaching for the letter.

"What a surprise," Fuji said, running his finger over their names, written so carefully on the front of the envelope. "We'll go, then?"

"I can't think of a reason not to," Tezuka replied. Fuji nodded.

"It sounds interesting."

--

Atobe's so-called Tokyo estate was located on the outskirts of the city, on a hilltop overlooking downtown. Strings of festive lanterns lined the driveway, bobbing in the wind. Tezuka and Fuji parked at the base of the gravel road and walked up to the front door, which was opened by an old man in a dark suit.

"Welcome," he said, his voice low and warm. "Please allow me to escort you."

They followed him down a long hallway to a pair of glass doors, which they stepped through onto a veranda, softly illuminated by the same sorts of lanterns that had lit the driveway. A cluster of overstuffed armchairs sat off to the left, and from where they stood Tezuka and Fuji could see the backs of several heads. The butler bowed and exited, leaving Tezuka and Fuji to make their own way to the group. Atobe rose to greet them the moment he heard their footsteps, welcoming them with firm handshakes and familiar nods.

"It's good to see you," he said. "Please." He gestured to two of the chairs. Tezuka and Fuji sat. Across from them, Sanada Genichiroh sipped a tall glass of water, eyeing them strangely. Beside him, Oshitari Yuushi toyed with a button on his suit jacket. Shishido and Ootori were present as well, and not too long after Tezuka and Fuji had made themselves comfortable the glass doors swung open again and Inui strolled in with Kaidoh.

"Well, I think we can begin," Atobe said, setting down his glass of champagne and accepting the stack of papers handed to him by the butler. "Firstly, I would like to welcome all of you whom I have not seen in recent years," he said, glancing around. "I'm very pleased to see that you all seem to be doing well."

"Cut to the chase, Atobe," Sanada said, swirling the ice cubes around in his glass. Atobe laughed.

"Very well, then. I suppose we all go back far enough to forgo the usual formalities," he said. "I sometimes find it difficult to transition between work and socializing, since they merge so often." He cleared his throat and handed the stack of papers to Sanada. "Take one and pass it around," he ordered. "This is a report I was able to come by through a colleague. It concerns the affairs to which we were so... Brutally subjected," he said. Inui scanned the paper and raised his eyebrows.

"This is valuable," he said, glancing at Atobe. "How did you come across this?"

"Let's just say I have connections," Atobe replied, smirking. Inui shrugged.

"Well, no matter, but-"

"Hold a second," Shishido interrupted, scowling down at the paper. "Is this all true?"

"Yes," Atobe said.

"So you mean to say all that crap about world leaders freaking out over the government taking a little liberty with Article 9 was made up?" Shishido demanded.

"Apparently."

"This is ridiculous," Sanada said, setting the paper down on the glass table and folding his arms across his chest. "I refuse to believe it. What about the money we were granted for reconstruction? The official UN apology? None of this makes sense."

"Doubtless that was all part of the hoax," Inui mumbled, his eyes skirting over the page. "Can you imagine the bad publicity these men would have had if their true purpose had been uncovered? It would have been horrendous. Career-ending, doubtless. In any case, their grants aided in repairing the damage that had been done to Japan in an _external_ sense. But the economic damage took years to repair, and you know that. Therefore, they got what they wanted. In any case, all of these sources cited are entirely credible."

"It is sort of hard to believe, though," Kaidoh admitted, shrugging. "I mean..."

"So you mean to say that the jealousy of certain world leaders lead to the death of ninety seven Japanese civilians?" Tezuka asked.

"According to this paper, yes," Atobe said. "The threat of our rising economy against their falling ones was apparently enough to drive them well over the edge."

"That's sick," Shishido hissed, flinging the paper onto the ground.

"What will this paper mean?" Ootori asked softly.

"Most likely nothing," Atobe said, sighing. "The world of politics is dark and twisted, and I have no doubt that these sources, as valid as they are, will doubtless be discredited and the paper thrown into a dusty drawer and eventually forgotten."

Fuji nodded. "I suspected something of the like," he said.

"It's a shame we can't do anything about it," Oshitari mused, removing his glasses and absentmindedly cleaning the lenses with a scarlet handkerchief. "Sell our story, or something of the like. People like hearing those sorts of tragic tales, you know? With mildly happy endings."

"Doubtless that would get us nothing but sympathy," Sanada said, frowning.

"Tears sell," Oshitari replied, shrugging.

Atobe nodded thoughtfully. "And things that sell get noticed," he added. "Which means this whole affair could be brought out of that dusty drawer and back into the limelight."

"Which would make this paper far more difficult to ignore," Inui said excitedly, sitting forward in his chair.

"Who would write it?" Ootori asked, looking around.

"We could all do it, together," Fuji suggested. "Doubtless we all have a different account of what happened. If we can get in touch with everyone again, we can have everyone write what they remember and then meet to put the final thing together."

"And the fact that we weren't all in the same place will allow a broader view of the whole thing," Atobe said, shooting Sanada a look.

"Imagine it," Shishido said, leaning back in his chair and staring up and the darkening sky. "The tragic tale of a bunch of kids trapped in the midst of an attack fueled by political jealousy. It would sell like no other."

"Will they believe us, though?" Inui wondered aloud. "Or will they simply brush it off as a bunch of have-beens that want some attention?"

"We're hardly have-beens," Atobe scoffed, running a hand through his hair. "And we have evidence, don't we?"

"Sure," Ootori said. "Kawamura. I'm sure he has hospital documents."

"And Jiroh, and Kabaji," Atobe added.

"Yagyuu and Yukimura, too," Sanada said.

"It will be perfect," Atobe said, reaching for his champagne. "Let's have it done by this year's end."

--

And it was. Their book, entitled To Tomorrow, sold 63 million copies and the ruthless attack on Japan was thrust back into the limelight. The world leaders responsible for the attack were put on trial and eventually jailed for war crimes. The United Nations gave their second official apology.

"I can't really think of a better ending," Shishido said, grinning at the wall-sized promotional poster for the book. The thirty authors had agreed on the pseudonym "Truth," but had not bothered to keep their identities secret as they mentioned their names over and over in the book. They were scheduled to appear on a talk show for the afternoon, and had already been interviewed by some of the world's most prestigious newspapers and magazines.

"Of course, none of this is new to me," Atobe said, shrugging and slipping on his Armani sunglasses. "I've been in the limelight for my entire life."

"Shut up," Sanada said simply. Atobe laughed.

"Jealous?"

"Incredibly."

"Stop bickering, you two," Oshitari said, peering into a mirror and brushing his bangs out of his eyes.

"Whatever," Atobe said, rolling his eyes.

"Are you all ready to go on?" a stagehand asked, poking his head around into their dressing room. "We're live in five minutes."

"Well, here goes nothing," Kawamura said, sighing. "I'm terribly sorry if I let you all down."

"We need a tennis racket," Echizen muttered.

Momoshiro laughed. "You got that right!" he said, reaching over to ruffle the shorter man's hair. Echizen swatted his hand away with a half-hearted scowl as he pushed himself up out of his chair.

They stepped out of their dressing room and followed the stagehand down a long, dark passageway to a black door.

"Through here," he said, adjusting his earpiece and reaching for the knob. "Good luck!"

"It won't be needed," Atobe assured him, stepping through the door. Shishido rolled his eyes and pulled a face at Atobe's back.

The blinding stage lights hid the faces of the audience, but the roar of applause was deafening.

"Ladies and gentlemen," the host was saying, "please welcome Truth, the authors of the international bestseller To Tomorrow!" The applause grew louder.

"This is ridiculous," Tezuka muttered out of the corner of his mouth, glancing down at Fuji, who grinned.

"It's fun," he said. "It's an experience."

"One I could have done without," Tezuka grumbled.

"Well," Fuji said thoughtfully, "if you made it through the attack, I think you can make it through a talk show." He smiled again. "As long as we have each other, right? We can do anything."

Tezuka nodded, the corner of his mouth lifting slightly.

"Yeah," he agreed. "As long as we have each other."


End file.
